Mara

MARA CHAPTER 1 Mara howled crashing through the enormous pine trees that dominated the mountains. Her newly discovered wings had never been used and were unorganized and already tired, she was tired. Mara held her breath and braced herself for a hard landing, smashing into the thick trunks packed together tightly. Her arms and legs flailing, her new, much more massive body was tearing trees out by their roots, each branch slicing deeper into her flesh. Slamming hard on the forest floor, she was dazed and utterly confused about what was happening. "This is a dream. This is a f*****g dream." She cried to herself, thumping the bottoms of her hands on her head. Looking down to her regular hands that were gone, they were almost twice the size of her human hands; dagger-like claws decorated her fingertips. She wiggled her new nails like a new born baby, mesmerized at what she was looking at.  "What the…" Her once sun-kissed tan skin was now a beautiful light lavender that seemed to dance with the sun breaking through the treetops. Mara even felt taller; her shredded clothes were hanging from her new sturdy frame, her body had completely transformed into something new, something not even human. Her neck hurt from supporting her newly formed horns sprouting from her skull. It was tiring to try and keep her head straight. Feeling with her new fingers through her shoulder-length dark brown hair, the twisting pattern swirling into them. Smooth as glass but strong as steel, wishing she could see them with her eyes, her thoughts ran erratically     Only a few minutes ago, she was unloading groceries with her mom, and now she's on the run from the U.S. Army.  "Mom." Lowering her head in complete disbelief. Imagining the last time she saw her only moments ago, dead and bleeding out under her vintage Volkswagon after the vicious attack. All she could remember was a blurry image of three dead, winged creatures at her feet, pleading with not to end their miserable lives and the sound of sirens blaring in the distance. Shaking the thoughts that haunted her mind, she had no time and needed to move. Mara knew the woods of her hometown well. Perri was a dreary, backwoods place that had nothing to offer except that the town converted to a military base that she's grown up on her entire life. Sitting herself up against a tree and pulling her knees to her chest, she sat alone, for the first time in her young life. Her wounds were deep and painful, using a tattered piece of her shirt to try and clean the blood from her eyes, it smeared all over her face. "What the f**k is going on?" Ripping off another piece of her shirt. Piecing the events of the day, she couldn't remember much. One moment she is looking for her phone in her bedroom and the next she was alone in the middle of nowhere with little memory of what happened. Mara's anger boiled over; she stood quickly and swung hard at the trees behind her. She was smashing another next to her and another till her rage subsided. Her swings being thrown off by the extra weight of her wings. They flapped wildly behind her, knocking down loose branches. It took some time, but Mara figured out how to calm them down, enough to keep them still at least.  Knowing she had to hide, she made her way up the mountain. Even with her new wings and the fact she could fly, sort of, Mara knew to stay low. Her father would be looking for her, and all of his army friends. It was past mid-day now, and the sun would be setting in a few hours, and she needed to move fast. Climbing higher into the thick woods, her ears popped with the change of altitude. Her breathing was heavy, her sight blurred, and she was starving, but she couldn't stop. Walking was strange with her new legs, longer than her other legs, and beast-like feet thrust her further into the unknown of the woods. Mara felt powerful with her new stride but still worried about what she was. Hours passed the further she hiked through the woods, not knowing where she landed. Some type of shelter was all she was looking for and knew the perfect place to look, the abandoned coal mines.  Entrances to the mines littered the mountainside, blocked off by the military for the protection of the townspeople. Mara knew they wouldn't be guarded. Almost everything in her town had been abandoned after the fires. A few hundred people elected to stay when Perri converted to a military base, but other than that, it was a stagnant place. Out in the distance, she could see the distinct entrance to a mine, rotting out in the middle of nowhere. Sprinting towards it, arriving faster than expected. Her new form was quite impressive, giving her abilities she never had as a human.  The warning signs and barricades already torn down along with spray paint cans and beer bottles littered the area. The kids in town are always trying to get deeper into the mines where they didn't belong. Stepping over the rusted garbage and peeking into the black hole, Mara could hear the slow drip of water echoed in the cavern.  "HELLO!"  Something inside her hoped that someone would answer. Right now, she didn't want to be alone.  "HELLO!"  She tried once more before taking her first step inside. Only a few feet in, and it was already almost pitch black. Taking her time to get her eyes adjusted and crouching down to fell the dirt floor with her claws. Staying close to the wall and inching in further, always reaching out in front of her. The weight of her wings pressing down on her. Never actually being in this mine before, she only knew of it from all the warnings her parents would say before going out.  "Stay away from the mines, Mara." They would preach every single time she would leave the house. Just about thirty feet in, the floor dropped off into the abyss. Hearing the loose gravel of the floor fall down the pit as its echo’s faded, the further it fell.  "Holy s**t! That could have been bad."  Mara's voice bounced off the walls. Looking back at the cave entrance, Mara saw the sun setting behind the trees.  "What do I do now?" She thought. Mara had no one to go to and nowhere to go. She was alone, the first time in her life. Leaning her head on a wooden support beam that held up the ceiling, her mind filled with the worst kind of images imaginable. She thought about her mom, her dad, even her best friends Annie and Roman. Thinking of some way to fix this or if it could even be fixed. How would she go back to a fifteen-year-old teenager? Mara didn't know what she was; all she knew was that she wasn't human. Her eyes were heavy, and her body was sore, she missed her bed and even more her phone. The worries of her mother crossed her mind over and over. Grabbing her left wrist and searching for her old antique bracelet, Mara shook when she realized it was gone.  "Where is it?" She begged, frantically searching the ground around her.     "No! No! No! I must have lost it in that fight." Mara used to play with the bracelet when she was nervous or scared or even just bored. Placing her head back against the beam, she could feel tears welling in her eyes. She fought them away, knowing now wasn't the time to cry. Taking in a deep breath, so deep that it hurt, Mara blew it out slowly.  "Ok. This…can't be fix!"  Her eyes shot open at the thought. Allowing the tears to fall, she leaned herself back on the wall, tilting her head to the ceiling. The streams of tears ran down the side of her face. It was only a few moments before her breathing became shallow, her shoulders relaxed, and without even trying, Mara's body went limp. The excitement of the day had taken its toll on the poor girl, passing out of exhaustion still sitting up against the dirty wall. Snapping her eyes open, Mara woke and jumped to her feet. Still alone in the dark, she didn't know how long she had been sleeping. Outside, the sun was gone, not knowing where the cave ended and the forest began, she sunk her claws into the wall and slowly walked her way outside. Finding her way out, the pitch blackness of the cave messed with her eyes. Standing in the darkness, upset, hoping to have woken up in her bed, and this would all have been a bad dream. The cool summer breeze felt great on her skin and seemed to calm her wounds. Her wings were daunting and always moved about on their own, and they felt even heavier than before. Mara had to focus on getting them under control. Taking in a deep breath and smelling the smoke of the mine fires, they burned not too far from where she stood. Hearing the hoots of owls and the crushing leaves under the hoofs of the town deer, Mara didn't feel any fear. After what she had been through, Mara thought she could take on anything. High above her, a military helicopter hovered over the town, a spotlight was shining down into the trees, but it was in vain; they were too thick to spot anything. Backing herself into the cave again, she needed to come up with a plan, but no idea where to even start. Knowing that her dad's men would be sweeping all over, and it was only a matter of time before they found her. Thoughts of him crossed her mind and what she had done to him.      "Did I hurt him? Did he send his men after me? "The questions kept popping in her head. Fear took over Mara's thoughts.  "What would they even do to me? Would they even know it is me?" She asked herself. Knowing she needed to get to her father, but had no clue where he would even be at this point. More importantly, Mara needed to learn more about herself.     Not wanting to risk traveling at night, she crept back into the cave and began to think of her plan. Remembering all of the training her dad gave her over the years, she remembered something he had always said.  "The old church is always a safe haven." He would tell her as a child. He is always making a big deal about how it's just a beautiful place. She began to think it was more than just a phrase. "Did he mean the church across town?" Mara looked out of the cave entrance, but she couldn't see the old building from where she was, but it was a stunning structure. Its once gorgeous blue steeples sat high on the mountain overlooking Perri. "How would that help? It's been rotting for years."  Finally collapsing from exhaustion, Mara made up her mind that tomorrow she needed to get to the church. Not knowing what to expect but knowing it was her only choice. She laid down on the dirty ground, trying to get comfortable with her new body. Looking out the cave entrance and keeping an ear open, she thought about how to get across town. "Well, this should be easy." She stated with an attitude, rolling her eyes in the process. Trying everything in her power to stay awake, but the day was too much for her, slipping quietly back into a deep slumber. CHAPTER 2 Dot's eyes twitched, laying in her hospital bed, her moans of discomfort alerted everyone in the room. A stunning, natural beauty with light blonde hair that just reached her mid-back, more times than not, it was in some messy bun or a loose ponytail. Dot stood a whopping 5' 3" and always looked like a dwarf compared to her husband, looking even smaller in her hospital bed. Already into her late 50's, she kept a well-toned body for her age. Her eyes were a beautiful, piercing blue, but she didn't look like her old self after the attack. Her eyes hurt from the shallow lighting in the room, and the taste of blood still loomed in her mouth. She reached her hand out to whoever was closest and was met by her husband's firm grip holding hers.  "Dot? Honey. Can you hear me?" The man pleaded. She was woozy, everything was spinning, but she could only think of her little girl and what she had witnessed.  "Mmm…" Dot's words were nothing but slurs. "Honey, don't speak. You just had surgery." Her husband, General Ralph "Rolly" Ganges, tried to reason with her. He was a tall man, standing a towering six foot two. Bending down to stay close to his wife, Dot could make out his square jaw and a stern expression. His hair was a distinguished salt and pepper color. A handsome man, his hazel eyes and broad shoulders had always gotten him a lot of attention from the ladies. A runner by hobby, he was lean and in great shape, his blue service uniform bulking up his frame. He was the commander of the Perri base. Still trying to figure out how this happened to his family, he brushed his wife's hair out of her face.  "Marrr…Marrr…" Dot was still having a hard time speaking.  "Dot, calm down, we can talk about Mara when you're feeling better."  "No!" Her words shot through her husband. "Where is my Mara!" Dot shouted with force, winching in pain from her wounds, a long deep slice stretched across her entire stomach. "Where is Mara?" "We don't know."  Dot swung her head from side to side, trying to shake the effects of the anesthesia. "What time is it?" "3:30 in the morning." Another voice rang out before the general could answer. Entering the room was the head doctor of the Perri hospital, Dr. Ben Brocious. An older man, in his early sixties with a balding patch starting on the crown of his head. A career military man as well, he had known General Ganges for many years, even working together before both were stationed on the Perri base. He had been Mara's doctor since she was a baby and helped perform Dot's surgery, the general didn't trust anyone else with his family.    ”I didn't expect you to be up for many more hours Dot. You are quite the fighter."  "Where is my daughter!" She demanded, leaning to her side and gripping the old necklace that hung from her tiny neck. A half-dollar sized, teardrop-shaped stone, swirling with pinks and blues that adorned the beautiful gem. With a smaller mirrored teardrop-shaped diamond topping off the piece. All joined together with an ancient, platinum necklace. It was eye-catching and elegant, just like Dot. General Ganges and Dr. Brocious gave each other a strange gaze before the general spoke again. "Missing. But honey, we need you to remember anything. Anything at all. Did Mara say anything or do something to give you a clue?"  Dot placed her hands over her face, I.V.s were present in both of her arms. Trying to remember anything, she cleared her throat.  "We came back from Shreeville; the commissary was low on a lot of things, so we went food shopping." Her words cracked when the lump in her throat grew bigger.  "I tried to call you while Mara ran to her room." "I'm glad you did." Her husband answered, squeezing his wife’s hand. "Otherwise, you would have been dead." Dot wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand and gave her husband a half-smirk.  "Those things came from nowhere. I didn't see them till it was too late." Dot lost control, her tears flowed down her cheeks, but not for herself, they were for her little girl. Lost and alone somewhere in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Her husband sat down on the bed and held her gently in his arms.  "It's ok lovie. We'll figure this out."  Dr. Brocious stepped in and began to ask more questions. "Dot, did you see more?" She shook her head no and wiped her eyes again. Trying to pull herself into an upright position, Dr. Brocious gave her a mouthful.  "Don't you even dare! You just had serious surgery Dot. You're not Wonder Woman!" He seemed angry she would put so much stress on a fresh wound.  "My daughters missing Ben, I need answers." The general agreed with his long-time friend and eased Dot back into a lying position.  "What else happened?" He asked. "As I said, I was getting the groceries when they came from behind. One of those things…" She was interrupted by another person swinging the door open.  "Aylytes." The voice called out. "They're known as Aylytes Dot, you should know that by now."  Entering the room now was Colonel Andrew Fief. The general's right-hand man, he was a man who was trusted with everything. Standing eye to eye with his commanding officer, he was handsome. Dark green eyes, standard military haircut, he never allowed his blonde hair to grow out of place. He was bigger than the general in the muscle department. While the general enjoyed his long runs, Colonel Fief was always in the gym lifting heavier and heavier weights. A thirty-year serviceman, he was only a few years younger than the general. He was a no games type of man, on duty and at home, which caused some problems in his personal life.  "Hello, Andrew." Dot tried to say cheerfully. "Hello everyone, I'm sorry to interrupt." He stood at attention next to the door, holding a briefcase in one hand and a hot coffee in the other. "Please continue." He said. Dot asked for a drink. Her husband leaped to the side table for water and ice cube, Bending the straw down enough for her to slug down the entire cup.  "More?" Her husband asked.  "No. Thank you." Dot smiled lovingly at her man. "Anyway, they attacked me from behind. Biting and clawing at me, the first one smacked my head off the car. I fought back, but whatever one landed this..." motioning to the huge bloody slice spanning across her belly. "Once they landed this, it was over for me. I immediately felt weak. I couldn't do anything but crawl under the car. And then I saw…" Her voice cracked again. "I saw Mara. But it wasn't our Mara." Taking a pause to collect herself, "She was one of them again."  The room fell silent. Everyone there knew what Mara was but the poor girl herself. "I tried to tell her to get her bracelet, but it was too late. I don't remember much after that." General Ganges leaned in and kissed Dot on the top of her head.  "I'm so proud of you." He whispered.  Pulling out the old bracelet from his coat pocket, the piece mesmerized everyone. An old family heirloom, Dot always told Mara was it was passed down from mother to daughter through their family. It belonged to her great, great grandmother. The bracelet was more a piece of art than a piece of jewelry; it captivated the eye with its beauty. A bright and shining gold band with a huge round cut diamond as the center point. Twisting ivory traveled around the band as it held the tasteful gem in its place; it almost matched her mother's diamond that she wore around her neck. Another marble-sized gem sat at the bottom as the ivory horned prongs held it into place like the diamond. It was a wondrous jewel, it glistened with pinks, purples, and golds, swirling around like trapped galaxies. Four smaller, circular-cut diamonds adorned the corners of the band. The four friends admired the piece before the colonel spoke. "What do we do now, general?" Taking in a deep breath, the man stood from the bed and began to pace back and forth.  "We need to find her. ALIVE!" He ordered.  "Sweeps of the town have been going on since the attack, sir," Fief answered.  "Focus on the mountains; she won't be in town anywhere. I know that for certain." Dot gave her husband an odd look but decided not to say anything. "Gentlemen, I'd like some time alone with my wife," Ganges ordered. "Yes, sir." The men answered, heading for the door. Outside, Dot could see strange soldiers guarding the door. They were there to make sure the general and Dot were protected at any cost. Radios connected to their bulky vests with the microphone resting on their shoulders. The insignia on their uniform looked like the outline of darkened wings that read F.E.A. Unit across it. Their faces covered with a strange black helmet, something between a motorcycle helmet and a futuristic breathing mask. Dot had never seen it before. Dr. Brocious and Colonel Fief exited the door and disappeared down the halls. Dot and her husband were finally alone.  "What did you mean Mara wouldn't be in town. What about the church?" Dot asked her husband. "No one knows about that sweetheart, and I want to try and keep it that way." He answered, kneeling down and running his fingers through her hair. "I'm hoping Mara remembers what I've told her all these years. The church is safe." Dot smiled and held onto the general's hand. Her vision cleared, and she saw the bruises around her husband's neck from their daughter. "Rolly. Are you ok?" Gasping at the sight. He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. The black and blue marks were visible and causing him great pain. "She was scared, Dot. She had no clue what was happening."  "Did you expect her too?"  "No, I honestly didn't know what to do, or what to even say. After she let me go, she took off before anything more could be done or said."  The man was tired and missed his wife. Breaking his normal character, he climbed into the bed with Dot. Balancing himself on the edge, he didn't want her to move, and he just wanted to share a bed with her again. He leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss on her cheek. Dot's face turned a rose red, her husband still making her blush. Resting his head on her shoulder, she held him tightly in her arm, laying her head on top of his. As powerful of a man as the general was, Dot knew how to calm the beast inside him. "What about Nija?" Dot's excitement filled the room, not knowing what happened after she passed out. The general shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know. She never came." Her husband said sadly.  "How could she not show up with something this bad?" Dot tried to force herself to sit up. The general carefully placed his arm across her chest to stop her before she was hurt.  You need to stop, Dot. Your surgery was serious." Giving him her doe eyes, she knew he was right.  "I don't know. I don't know a lot about today's events, and it bothers me, honey. Nija never showed. Maybe something happened?" Lifting his head and rolling off of the bed, he stood quickly, straightening out his uniform. "What could have happened?" Dot was erratic, fuming again. Her husband calmed her down. He knew her body and mind had been through enough today. "I promise I will find our Mara, and I will figure out what happened with Nija." He was trying desperately to calm her. "But I'm going to have to go. They need me at H.Q. Something happened and they need me to see it. Andrew has a truck outside for me." A sad look took over Dot's usually happy demeanor.  "I know you do. But you need to promise me something." The general scooted himself carefully, sat down on the bed, and took Dot's hand.  "Anything, my queen. Anything."  "You keep our Mara safe, and you bring her home." A single tear fell down her cheek. The general, someone who never cried, allowed himself a few tears in the moment. He had no idea where their daughter was or what was happening on his base. Kissing his wife's badly bruised hand, he huffed, knowing her demands were going to be easier said than done.  "I promise."  CHAPTER 3 Mara woke scared and confused, but her eyes wouldn't open. The blood that streamed down her face had dried over her eyes while she slept. Sitting up and backing into the cave wall, her wings still uncoordinated, she clawed at her own face.  "What the f**k is this?" She was frantic. A moment passed and she calmed herself down. Using her own spit, she wet her hands and used it to clean herself up.  "So gross," she moaned. The cool summer air filled the cave, she rubbed her eyes into focus. Still alone and no one had found her yet, she dusted off her hands surprised. Looking out into the woods, Mara had no idea what time it was, or how long she was asleep. Standing on her new legs, she was wobbly but managed to keep her balance. Slowly, walking out of the musty cave, the morning dew covering the grass. The few birds in the sky began to chirp louder, sensing Mara's presence. She stood and thought about how she would get to the church. Knowing it was on the old closed off miners trail, and figuring no one ever used it, that was her best bet. But she needed to be fast. Her time was running out. Hunger struck her out of nowhere, and she never felt it hit that hard before. "Gotta find something." She whispered.  Stumbling over the loose rocks and twigs that littered the trail, Mara started her trek. It was only a few miles from where she was. The sun hadn't yet risen, but the sky was a remarkable pink that reminded Mara of her life before her transformation. The light colors of her bedroom walls, her big mirrors in her own bathroom, and of course, Annie and Roman.  "What the hell am I going to tell them!"  Not knowing how this all happened and worried something might happen to her friends, she pushed any bad thoughts out of her mind and focused on the church. Further down the trail, the trees opened up and Mara could see her entire town. It was beautiful from high in the mountain. The giant steel fences that surrounded everything on base began to sparkle in the morning sun began to crest over the clouds. Mara could see the hummers making their rounds up and down Main Street. Not to far in the distance she could see the huge blue steeples of the church. If she could spread her wings and fly there, it would take her only a few moments. From her standpoint, she could see Annie's house, knowing she would be up soon to get her treatments, wishing she could just stop by like before. Roman's house was on the other side of town. Mara worried about him because Colonel Fief was always a hard ass to him. Gazing past the homes and people of Perri, Mara could see the old abandoned highway off in the distance. Once a major route for passing vehicles, it was now a broken reminder of what this town used to be. Anymore, the town kids use it as a giant paint canvas. She would see the small plumes of steam escaping the broken asphalt from the fires that burned not to far from it. Mara shook the random thoughts again "Focus!"  Her stomach growled at her like a wild wolf. She kept walking, trying to beat the sunrise, hearing things she never could before. The deer were searching for food, the chipmunks nibbling on acorns, and the swoosh of a bird's wings as it took flight. Everything seemed more in tune, sharper almost.  "Why would dad send me to the church?" Thinking out loud. Trying to put the pieces together, but she didn't have many to the puzzle.  "I really hope I'm not crazy."  The further she walked, the more tired she became. Her new form was bigger than the one she was used too, and she didn't sleep well either. The closer she got, the more worried she became.   "What if someone spotted me? What if dad wasn't trying to help me but trying to catch me." More worries kept creeping in her head, but she did her best to block them out.  Mara paid little attention to anything behind her. She knew the trail was closed off years ago. Her father always said it was too dangerous for use. Seeing the church again through the trees and getting tired of waiting to see if she was right or wrong, she began to sprint. The speed she gained so quickly was impressive, Olympic runner impressive. Coming to a skidding stop, Mara thought of an idea. Starting her run again, she focused on her wings, almost forgetting about them. Slowly they began to widen, feeling the wind pick up under her, she got scared and stopped.  "Can I really fly?" Thinking of her crash landing the other day, and how bad it hurts, she decided to play it safe. Without a second thought, she started to run, faster this time, her wings reached out across the entire trail. Within seconds she was lifted off the ground, only a few feet but it felt like a hundred. Mara felt free like she could just take off and never come back. Rushing wind whipped across her face, the cold rush sending chills down her spine. The trip was short-lived when a young doe came out of the shrubs and into the line of Mara's flight.  "s**t!" Mara screamed smashing into the poor animal with enormous force. The deer went flying into a tree, screaming in agony before dying a quick death. Tumbling on the ground, Mara pulled her gigantic wings into her body, her once healed wounds now burst open again, and blood ran down her lavender-colored skin. Still dazed, it took a few seconds to collect her thoughts but she was ok.  "Hello?" She shyly called out. "Bambi? Are you ok?"  Seeing no movement or hearing any noise, Mara was scared for the poor creature. Slowly making her way into the trees and spotting the lifeless body of the beautiful animal, Mara teared up never having killed anything before. Racing to its side, she knelt down and froze, her claws hovering just over its corpse. The tears stopped, and Mara didn't feel bad anymore, all she thought was that this was a free meal, and she was so hungry. With her claws still over the body, her mind raced.  "Just a few bites, and I'll start walking again." She thought. Gripping tightly onto the flesh of the deer, Mara stopped.  "No!" Pushing herself from the animal. "No f*****g way I'm doing that!" The sheer thought of eating raw flesh made her sick, but she knew she needed to eat.  "I'm sorry little friend, but I need to go." With that, Mara began her journey again. The flight brought her closer to her destination than she had thought, only yards from the property line, the excitement raced through her veins. Being careful to watch for anything in the trees, she didn't know if the place was being watched. Throwing a few rocks from a hiding point, nothing seemed to move.  "Guess the coast is clear."  Walking up to the once magnificent church, she had never seen this close before. The steeples were bigger than she ever thought. The dingy and rotting wood siding was falling into pieces, heaps of it lay on the grounds. Some of the old stained glass windows were shattered from people throwing trash through them.  "Wow." Mara was mesmerized by the building even in its decaying state. Nature had taken it back, vines and shrubs grew wildly all over. Thick roots dug deep into the concrete pathways that lead to the front doors, crumbling more every year. Taking her time, she walked around the church, inspecting every little detail. Like the highway, most of the church was covered in old graffiti, another ugly reminder of what this town once was. In the back, Mara was met with two humongous doors that led to the altar. Peaking in the small window, Mara could see the dozens of pews lined up like dominos, once filled to the brim with dedicated people of Perri, now lay empty and splintered. Tired of waiting, she tried to turn the handle, but it was locked, the doors bolted shut.   "Now, how does that work?" Mara was annoyed and aggravated she was wasting her time coming here. Placing her hands on the doors she pushed with everything she had, the bolts snapped almost instantly. The creaking and popping of the old wood echoed through the halls, birds and rodents squealed and scurried across the rotten floor and over Mara's beast-like feet. That didn't seem to bother her as it would have before. The smell of animal pee and mold slapped her sense of smell, it was horrible, forcing her to try and cover her face. Stepping inside, she wasn't shocked by the condition. The pews were falling apart, and the once blood-red carpet was torn and shredded, animals had been using it as a bathroom for years. Looking up to the caved-in roof, its huge beams were breaking through the old plaster and barely hanging on.  "Safe haven, my ass."   Mara was careful, taking it one step at a time, not sure if the weakened floor would even support her.  "Anybody home?" Her words were met by silence.  The sun rising in the distance shined through the windows, lighting up the wondrous stained glass that lit up the dilapidated room. Taking her time, admiring the church's chaotic beauty, Mara was stunned at the altar that overtook the front of the room. Marble and gold still shimmered even covered in filth. She was making her way to the front of the church, imagining what it must have been like in its hay day. Suddenly she was startled, throwing her wings out and crouching into an attack position. Feeling silly once she realized it was just more birds escaping out of the holes in the roof, laughing at herself for being so scared. In the backrooms of the decaying building, spray paint cans and trash were present everywhere. It was old, and no one had been here in years. Mara spotted a rather peculiar door. A red arrow painted on it, pointing up. Was this a sign, she thought? Rushing over and yanking the door from its hinges and found a beautiful spiral staircase leading up to the church bell tower.  "Now we're talkin!" Shouting in excitement. Forgetting about the age and condition of the building, she raced up each step, her wings hitting the wooden banister on her way up. Her heart was pounding; she forgot about everything that was going on.  "What's here, what does my dad want me to see?" Nothing. Halfway up the marvelous staircase, the entire second half had collapsed down to the church floor below her. She thought she might be able to glide there, but there was no room for her to spread her wings, Mara felt defeated. "No. No. No! This can't be it!"  Her words shattered more of the glass window glowing next to her with their power. Trying to look upward, she couldn't see anything. There was nothing for her here, feeling weak and sick, she sat on the creaking steps to catch her breath.     Mara made her way back down the steps, beaten, broken, and bloody. Walking across the disintegrating church with her wings sagging in her torment. Passing through the magnificent front doors, she was blinded by the powerful sunlight gleaming in the sky. Reaching the overgrown brown grass, Mara collapsed to her knees. Her life was over, it was only a matter of time before she was found, and god only knows what would happen to her then. She thought of her parents and of what happened to her mom, dead because of what Mara had become. She thought of her father.      “Was this a trap? Does he not even love me?" The questions were filling her mind. Mara huffed and relaxed her body, not knowing what her next move would be. Throwing her head back, she let a powerful roar escape her lungs, unable to hold back her tears anymore. They flowed like a river down her face. Alone and pleading with anyone who might be listening, everything that had happened to her weighed heavily on her shoulders.    Gazing up at the blue-roofed steeple, something in one of the windows caught her eye.  "What the hell is that?" Even more confused, a single crystal hung from a string in the window, catching the rays of sunlight and twinkling to grab her attention. Below the shining gem, sat one of Mara's old stuffed teddy bears, its arms wrapped around an electric candle, flickering even in the bright daylight.   "Blueberry?" She hadn't seen the tiny blue bear in years. It was her favorite one. She always thought it was lost. Mara couldn't make heads or tails of anything. "Why is my old bear in the window of a church! Why do I have wings sprouting out of my back! What in the actual hell was going on!" Mara howled outlaid and thought about her father's words,    "The church is a safe haven!"  Mara paced back and forth, "How can I get up there? How does dad know about this? What was this safe haven?"  Her head began to hurt from the constant thinking going on. Defeat started to set in again, the stairs to the steeple were ruined, and there was no way up.  "Great, dad. How the hell am I supposed to get up there?" All at once, it hit her.   "You knew what I am, and you must have known this would happen." Calculating everything, Mara figured her father’s plan. Her shouts were filled with a joy she hadn't felt since the change. Waves of excitement flew through her body, "You know the only way up there would be to FLY!" An electric smile shot across her face. "Dad, you're a genius!"  Mara ran away from the building, as far as she thought she needed. Turning quickly and picking where she needed to land, Mara darted for the church with enough time for her to spread her wings and gain some altitude. With a hard push, she jumped and took flight, smashing into the side of the steeple. The building shook with the weight of Mara slamming into it. "Uff!" The crash rattled her a bit. Using her razor-sharp claws and new feet, she sank them into the side of the crumbling building and climbed her way to the window. Every time she moved her hands or feet, they would leave giant holes in the spongy wood. Reaching the window sill, Mara noticed it was brand new. Looking in, she lost her breath, shocked at what was waiting for her. At that moment she knew her father loved her, she wasn't alone, and she knew he was coming for her. Mara pushed the window open and fought to slide inside. Her new horns nearly cracking the glass when she passed her head through, her wings and bulky frame made it difficult but she made due. Inside was what her father said it would be, a safe haven. It was clean, nothing like the rest of the church. Food, freshwater, a bed, pictures of her and her family. Mara couldn't hold back her tears of joy. She closed the window behind her and spotted an envelope sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. Not wasting a second she snatched it up and tore the note open. Her faced dropped when she began to read, "Dear Mara,     I know I have some explaining to do…" CHAPTER 4 "I want answers, Andrew." General Ganges rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger; he hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours.  After talking to Dot for some time, she finally gave in and passed out. He had been on the phone with every superior he could think of since then, and now he was sitting in a NASA style command center listening to men and women ramble on looking for answers they didn't have. Giant screens covered nearly every wall in the room. Each one was flashing different numbers or temperatures. Others showed camera angles all over the town. This was the lifeblood of Perri Base. Hundreds of computers all lined up like perfect dominos stretched out as far as the eye could see.  "Sir, I don't understand how three escaped. No alarms were tripped." A short fat lieutenant by the name of Waymenn shouted over the chaos. He was sweating through his black button-down shirt, almost looking like he wasn't trying to cry.  "Waymenn. Now you know that I think that is complete bullshit. Somehow, somewhere these goddamn things got out and attached MY family."  The general was in a rage. Furious at the never-ending assumptions about what may or may not have happened. The gigantic room, filled with dozens of men and women, dressed in their standard F.E.A black gear, fell silent when they heard the general’s roar.  "I don't understand how your entire existence on this base is to keep those things out of here, and yet none of you can give me a straight answer!"  The man collapsed into a chair resting behind him and placing his face into his cupped hands. Never in his thirty-four years on the Perri Base has this much activity happened. General Ganges knew his team was doing their best, but he needed to find Mara, and he hoped that she made it to the church safely. Gazing at his watch, he knew the sun was just starting to crest over the trees showing Mara a sign.  A brief moment passed before the general's thoughts were disturbed by his second in command. Colonel Fief had raced back into the command area with a large file tucked under his arm. The general could tell his friend had been fighting with his wife. He was sweating around his temples. Fief didn't sweat under these conditions, he lived for this life.  "Colonel Fief. Care to add anything?" The general slapped his knees and pushed himself out of the chair. He knew Fief had nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, the general could see Waymenn talking to a very slender sergeant. The two men chatted for a few minutes, and the sergeant looked over to his commanding officer with a nervous look.  "General!" Waymenn shouted over the commotion of the room. General Ganges and Colonel Fief made their way to the two officers in haste.  "Sir, may I introduce Sargent Glen Peterson," Waymenn stated with pride. The tall man saluted his superiors; he had never been this close to the general before.  "Peterson is in command of security around the gateway." Almost immediately, Fief snapped and began to scream at the short fat man.     "Lieutenant. May I remind you that you are an officer in the U.S. Army. The object in question is known as DH-982, not a gateway!" Waymenn hung his head low and talked sheepishly. "But sir, it is a gateway. Peterson has something to show you."  General Ganges snapped his head to the sergeant and demanded what he wanted to show him.  "General, if you gather here at my desk, I'd like to show you a video just moments before the breach." "Play it, dammit." Ordered the general. Peterson tinkered with the computer screen in front of him for a few seconds and pulled up several camera angles of a humongous burning crack, smoking and popping ash into the air. The eyesore was known as DH-982, a gateway back to Mara's home. Ganges, Peterson, Waymenn, and Fief gathered around the screens and watched a standard patrol of the area.  "Peterson. Are you wasting my time?" Barked the colonel. "No, sir. Watch. At 14:53:53 We can see the first visitor." Seconds passed before Peterson shouted, "There! Right there!" Pointing to the upper right-hand corner of the screen, General Ganges leaned in closer. "Jesus. Is that…is that a hand?" "It's a claw, sir," Peterson answered with terror in his voice. "Is that significant?" Asked Fief. "Sir. The attack on your family was right around that time, yes?" The general’s face scrunched in worry.  "Yes?" "Sir, how could the first Aylyte be seen at 14:53:53 and your family were attacked right around that time? It means either these things are faster than our sensors can pick up or..." "Or what Peterson!" Barked Fief. "Or there is another way for them to get out." Peterson swallowed hard.   "Play the rest of the video." Ordered Ganges. Colonel Fief intervened.      "I don't think that's a good idea, sir." "And just why not?" The general was clearly annoyed. Fief took a deep breath and paused, knowing s**t was going to hit the fan. "We lost a man."      "I am just learning this now, Andrew? "Rolly, It was for your best interest. I knew you were worried about Mara."  The general held up his hand to stop his friend and shot him a look. The men watched the video in awe. Gunfire erupted in the glow of the pit. A screaming soldier was seen firing his weapons at horrid, burned, and scarred beasts that emerged from the flaming crack. Disgusting creatures were barking and howling at the F.E.A. guards firing at them. One, three, twelve, the monsters kept coming with no end in sight.  "That's enough." Ordered General Ganges. He wiped his forehead and began pacing back and forth, rubbing his palm. "Has anyone on base asked any questions?"  "No, sir. No one suspects anything. We informed the town that any gunfire was an impromptu training exercise. So that has been taken care of." Answered the colonel. "As for DH-982, the townspeople still think it's just the mine fire."      "Good." Answered General Ganges. "This is a small town, any talk of Mara or Dot?"   Fief answered quickly. "None, Sir. We kept it contained."  "What about those…things. What happened to them?" Colonel Fief nodded toward Weymenn.      "Sir, a total of thirty-two creatures attempted to escape. Many were killed immediately as the wounded fought till their last breath. Some didn't fight at all."  "Where are they now?" Asked the general. "The Mine, sir. The dead are prepped for autopsy, and a few are willing to talk." "No fight at all? So more want to be here?" The general was shaking his head in agreement when a phone rang on Waymenn's desk. Picking up the phone and putting it to his ear. "Weymenn."  "Sir, ground crew with a report." A man on the other end said. "Go on.” ”Everything looks normal here, sir. We've interviewed a few civilians. They had nothing to offer."     "Dammit," Weymenn growled. "No breach here, sir. Temperatures are all normal and no sign of disturbance in the area." "Thank you, captain. Clear out and return to base." "Copy." The phone call was over in less than a minute, and Weymenn placed his face in his hands.     "Well?" Asked the colonel.  "We had a team check the highway, just in case." He answered. They waited in suspense for answers. "Highway is a dead-end, gentleman. Temps are all normal, and nothing is out of place. Besides a few beer cans, we have nothing." The command center was still in a frenzy.  "Could there be another pit? Something we missed?" Asked Fief.  "It would be hard, and they did a ten-mile perimeter search back when it first opened." Answered Peterson. The day was just beginning, and the general was already at his wit's end. He looked over at Weymenn, knowing the man was tired. He also knew that he wasn't making his job any easier.  "Weymenn." The general waved the lieutenant over. "Yes, sir." "Why don't you head out and get some sleep, you look like you could use it." General Ganges whispered. The chubby man looked down at his sweat-stained shirt and fixed the glasses sliding down his nose. "With all due respect, sir, I won't be able to sleep with not knowing what's going on." Ganges gave the man an appreciative smile and nod, "Than I want reports with everything you find out, do you hear me." General Ganges' words were soft yet stern. Making Weymenn feel important in the eyes of his superiors. "Yes, sir!" The man's words rang ecstatically.  With Weymenn and Peterson looking for answers, General Ganges and Fief made their way to the front of the command center. The general rubbed his eyes with the balls of his hands; Fief could read his friend like a book.  "Twenty years serving beside you, I know when you're licked, Rolly." Fief tried to speak playfully. The backdrop noise of the command center seemed to fade away when the general pulled his old friend in closer. They both walked up to the massive steel door that would lead them to the surface.  "Andrew, I need a favor." "Anything, Rolly." "Not many people know the whole truth about Mara. It was always on a need to know basis, and I really want to try and keep this as quiet as possible." Worry could be heard in the man's voice. Colonel Fief squeezed his long time friend’s shoulder.  "Come on, Rolly, I'd never tell a soul. Callie is the only one who knows. This will all blow over by the first day of school." The general smiled to himself and thought of simpler days. "I have some things I need to take care of, Andrew. I need you here, finding anything that would help out." With that, General Ganges made his way through the thick steel security door, leaving Fief wondering where the commanding officer was disappearing too. The colonel wiped away any thoughts and made his way back to Weymenn's desk.  "Pull up the escape attempt again, Peterson." Ordered Fief. The three men watched the horrible video, again and again, trying to make sense of how anything could ever escape such a secure compound. Weymenn watched, chewing on his thumbnail.  "God, help us all." "Sorry to burst your bubble, lieutenant." Fief began to speak, never taking his eyes off the monitors.    "But I think we're on our own here."  CHAPTER 5   "You're damn right you have some explaining to do!" Mara growled under her breath while almost crumbling the handwritten note from her father in her claws.  She could feel the same anger building in her like before when the beasts attacked her mother. Her vision became blurry; she had herself so wound up. Throwing the paper to the ground, she backed herself to the wall, her wings knocking framed photos off the wall, jumping at the sound of shattering glass. She felt strange, not knowing whether or not to trust the man she known her entire life. Taking long deep breaths, she calmed herself long enough to think straight. Walking over and picking the letter up again, she focused carefully on what it had to say:  Dear Mara,   I know I have some explaining to do. If you're reading this, the worst has happened. I'm sure you're wondering just what is going on and why you are here in the church. I promise I will explain everything to you. I just need you to stay here, stay hidden, and stay safe. Your mother and I set this place up for emergencies in case anything were to happen. No one knows about this place except for us. Your mother or I will meet you here soon. If you don't hear from us before your food and water run out, run. Run and don't stop. Enclosed is detailed instructions if anything were to happen. Hopefully, we will see you soon. We love you.   -Mom and Dad. Mara was distraught, and she couldn't believe what she had just read. Re-reading the short letter over again, still couldn't believe it, looking over the message a hundred or more times.  "Run?" Mara whispered. "How could you even tell me to try that?"  Angry, confused, tired, and hungry, Mara's emotions caught up with her. Letting a ferocious roar escape her mouth again, she collapsed to her knees and cried into her hands. It was like being hit by a freight train. The morning sun blazed through the old stained glass window and shined a wondrous glow over the room. It was a breathtaking sight. Hours went by as Mara cried and screamed, kicked and swung, still battling her emotions.  "How does he expect me to feel!" Mara swung again, connecting with the wall, leaving a massive hole in her wake. Her wings still flailed behind her, destroying more of the room. It was a reasonably decent size room, but with her impressive size, everything felt smaller, even the paper felt strange in her claws.  Hours past, retreating to the corner of the bell tower, the old timber walls had been sanded down and painted a cheerful purple. The carpet on the floor was plush and new; someone had put it recently. It even smelled fresh, not like the moldy, rotten place downstairs. Mara stared ahead blankly. Her mind was a jumbled mess.  “What is she? Who was she? Where is her father? Is her mom alive?”  Mara snapped out of her trance and began to admire the room a little more. The letter her father had written her still was crunched in her tight fist. She let it go when she stood herself up, not even bother looking at her dad's other plan; she didn't want to think about that right now — stretching her arms high in the air while her body ached and popped. Stepping lightly around the room, she noticed a red box. Inside was all the medical supplies Mara would need to help with her wounds. Bandages, gauze, tape, stitches, ibuprofen, scissors, and of course, a bag if AirHeads Bites. The simple little touch made her smile and think of her childhood. Her mom and dad were pushing her on the tire swing in front of their house. Her mom even crying when Mara wanted to cut it down a few years ago. Dot couldn't do it, and it still hung from the old oak tree.  "You two really do love me." Mara let a single tear glide down her cheek, wiping it with the back of her wrist. She sat Indian style on the carpet and cleaned and covered all the wounds she could reach. Rocking herself back and forth, she hummed the song her father would sing to her whenever she was down.  "Tora Lora Lora. Tora Lora la. Tora Lora Lora, hush now, don't you cry." It helped to calm Mara even more. Looking out of the window, she could see the sun was starting to set.  "Wow, I've been here all day?" Questioning herself. Grabbing one of the gallon jugs in the room, Mara gulped down the whole thing in a few swift chugs. Some mixed nuts, jerky, and canned food were stockpiled in weatherproof crates. She grabbed herself some snacks and wandered aimlessly. The pictures that were knocked off the wall were of her, Annie and Roman. Worried about them, she hadn't talked to either of them in a full day, and that never happened. "I bet Annie has a search and rescue out for me already." Mara giggled. It was the first time since the change.  "Oh, my god. I remember this!" Tearing the picture off the wall. It was an old-time photo of them dressed as cowboys, and a saloon girl, except Mara and Annie, had talked the photographer into giving Roman the dress. Mara lost control of her laughter and went into a full giggle fit. Continually looking at the picture only made her laughs worse. A painful snort passed through her nose than she only laughed harder when she did.  "He was so mad!"  She would say over and over. It felt good for Mara to laugh, it brought some normality back to her life, even if just for a moment. Feeling like herself again, she jumped around the room, snatching up each picture, her parents hung on the walls. Times at the beach with her mom and dad. Roman's wisdom teeth surgery and the time he fell off the roof in the rain and dozens of pictures of her and Roman visiting Annie in the hospital. She missed her friends and worried that she would never see them again. Time passed, and Mara grew bored, doing everything she could do, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, now she was lonely and worried.  Taking a peek out of the window, the town was a blaze of lights. The military buildings really lit up the mountains. The sun began to shrink behind the trees in the distance; the sunset in Perri was always beautiful, Mara watched every time she could. Secretly watching the townspeople from afar do their daily routines. Driving or walking down one of the streets, always wondering what this place was like before the fires, how much different it could have been. Growing up on base was so dull, and the rules were insane. Mara always hated that in school, she and Roman were always known as "Commander Kids" on the count of who their fathers were. The mine fires that started burning back in the '80s really destroyed the town and any potential it may have had.  Tucked in the corner of the bell tower was a huge plush beanbag chair. Mara laughed at the thought of her parents trying to figure out what would be comfortable for her with the giant wings on her back. Making her way over, she held on to another framed photo. This one was of Mara and her parents, laughing and swinging on the old tire swing in their front yard. Looking over the beanbag chair, she decided to go for it. She leaped high in the air and spun, landing on the unspeakably comfortable chair with her wings wrapping around her like a cocoon. Without even trying, Mara was fast asleep. The sunset in the late day sky and finally, darkness enveloped the town. Mara slept soundly in her safe haven. Something in her mind let her know she was safe. Not like the cold and filthy cave, she hid in the other day. Snores escaped her mouth the deeper she fell into her slumber. Mara's new frame and the extreme excitement of the past few days was too much, and she needed all the sleep she could get right now.  Waking up hours later, well-rested, and her mind clear, Mara sat in her winged cocoon and glared out the window. Still, no sign of her dad and worry began to creep its ugly face into her thoughts again. Shaking the worst from her mind, she stood and stretched, finally getting used to her new body. All the way across town, tucked behind the thick trees, laid the old highway. A small glow caught her attention. There was normally nothing on the highway, but thinking it was just a bone-fire, Mara took a peek. Being able to see every single spray-painted work of art on the road, every wondrous color splattered on the road, it was strange for her. Mara had great vision, but even this was even better than she could have ever hoped for.  "No freakin' way!" The strange glow wasn't a bonfire from one of the kids. It was coming from the large crack that sat in the middle of the highway. Eight feet wide and close to forty feet long. It hadn't done anything in years; it was a vent for the steam that was trapped under the Earth.  "What the hell is that?"  Mara questioned what she was seeing. Maybe someone had lit a fire in the crack. Studying it for a longer period, her fears were heightened when she finally realized what she was looking at. The same beasts that attacked her mother only yesterday were now crawling from the glowing crack in the highway. One of them even taking flight, its silhouette soared through the glow of the moon. "That ain't no fuckin' bird."  Mara's blood began to boil. This wasn't happening, and there were more of her kind? Taking no chances, she made her way to the window. Knowing she should stay put in her comfy cocoon and wait for her father, but she needed answers. Throwing the window open and perching herself on the sill, Mara gazed back at the safe house her dad had made for her.  "Five minutes. I'll be back in five minutes." She said, trying to convince herself this would be a quick trip. Spreading her wings as far as they would go, Mara took in a deep breath and took a leap of faith. It worked in her favor; the wind caught her wings and helped her take flight. Only using her wings when she began to lose altitude, Mara stayed low, and only grazing the treetops on her way to the highway, not knowing what to really expect.  CHAPTER 6 Mara soared through the sky, stunned at the beauty of Perri at a birds-eye view, but she had more important things to take care of. Getting a better grip on the control of her wings, she only used them when she lost altitude. Not wanting to waste more time and walk the trail, this was much faster. Staying on the outskirts of town and out of view from anyone, she landed sloppily on a tall tree that overlooked the highway, tugging the branches in a swaying motion. She watched in awe at the hoard escaping from the glowing pit, worried that one of them had seen her. Luck was on her side. The group didn't flinch in her direction.    "Faster!" A large scarred figure screamed into the night leading a group through the mountainous terrain surrounding the town. "We need to find shelter before those things can track us!" The beast was enormous, standing over nine feet tall, a giant compared to most of the group, holding onto an animal skin bag that hung from his shoulders, his wings towering over him. His second in command was an echo in the night, screaming orders, kicking, pushing and forcing the weaker beings anyway he demanded. A small Aylyte, flesh still burning red from the hellish ordeal he just traveled through, believed he was brave enough to stand his ground.  "Ferric!" It screamed into the night. "Why are we here?" The group fell silent.   "Excuse me?" Their leader growled. His second in command tried to defuse the situation, but it was in vain.  "He meant nothing by it, Ferric." A giant beast, the same size as the group's leader, chanted out. Scars covered his body as well, a permanent reminder of the days he spent protecting the family he once adored. He would have laid down his life for his Royals, but those days are gone.  Mara hung onto the thick branch in her hand, sinking her claws deeper into the bark, watching the horror unfold. "No, Goran, let him speak. Let him speak for the group." Demanded Ferric.  "Why are we not with the others? Why are we not helping them?"  The creature was small, half the size of Ferric. Large curling horns wrapped its head. Its moth-like wings fluttered as its nerves took over. Turning quickly, holding onto his ribs, Ferric made his way through the group. His eyes like daggers on the one who questioned him. Now standing looking down at the weak Aylyte, he ripped the beast off its feet by its stunning horns, bringing it to his eye level.  "There, now. What would you like to ask me?" The enormous beast laughed watching the creature in his clawed hand struggle to break free. "Did you question my plan? My authority?"    A moment passed with no answer, just the sounds of his victim screams of pain while Ferric used his powerful claw to crush the horns on its head.  "Maybe you could fly away? Or maybe get ambushed like the others? Or maybe you could make it in this world alone?" Crushing the bones of its skull more, releasing his grip just before the tiny beast passed out. With a large thump, it fell to the ground, crying into the night, holding its broken horn in it hands.  "Or maybe you follow orders and live." The group of Aylytes staggered down the painted road. Mara quietly made her way through the trees to keep up. Ferric in the lead, she could see him holding something shiny in his hands. It sparkled in the moonlight, Goran approached him from the right. "Ferric?" He said with a slight bow of its head.  "Yes, Goran, what now?" He answered, placing the shiny trinket back in the bag. "Where are we going? The gateway is in the other direction, what about the others?" Ferric gave his friend a sinister look.  "We're not going back for them. They've served their purpose."  "But sir, you told the group we would find and help the others."  "I said we might help the others." Ferric laughed. "Ferric, this is our world for the taking, and we need all the help we can get."  "Exactly my friend! Without the others sacrificing themselves, we would have never made it this far! Look what happened when we broke through moments ago, they were ambushed. We need their sacrifice." Goran admired Ferric's every word.  ”Have you covered our tracks? These savages will hunt us down." "Yes, my lord. No one will know." Goran answered, thinking about Ferric's words. It was true, without the others, they would have never made it this far. They would have been picked up, wounded, or even killed. "We need to find shelter, Goran. Now."  Ferric was a fantastic warrior. He had protected his royals for many years before breaking free of them. Peering deeper into the mountainous terrain for a place to hide, his pain causing discomfort grew. A memory flashed across his mind. A shimmering sword through the belly of his true mate, his child dead inside. He could still hear the screams of pain as Lyllie died in front of him. All for the sick amusement of his king, and he could do nothing. "Sir, if these hills are anything like home, we should be able to find something to hold us for the night." Explained Goran.  The group felt they had been walking for miles, most of them dragging heavy weapons behind them. Their metal chest plates were daunting and still hot from the journey. Most of the Aylytes stole anything they could from their world that may be useful to them. Their trip through the gateway was long and dangerous. Most of the group died along the way, too weak to continue. Others, the moment they broke through, took off into the night. This angered Ferric the more he thought about it, he needed as many as he could for his plan. Goran took notice to the sky, and alien crafts flew high above them.  "What are those, Ferric?"  "I don't know, and I don't care." He snapped. Mara looked up in the sky. She wanted to know what they were looking at. A small flashing light passed overhead, too far away to see, but Mara knew what it was. “A plane?" She was confused they had never seen one. "Where are you guys from?" Still watching from the shadows, Ferric began to lose his temper.  "Where are we going, Goran?" He ordered. "I don't know, Ferric! I sent out three scouts earlier, and none returned, so I don't know!"  Mara's eyes widened, "Three scouts?"  Something inside her snapped, she thought of the attacks on her mother how she didn't even know if she were alive. Not wasting another second, Mara dove off of the tree and took to the sky, using every muscle to maneuver her daunting wings towards the beasts still walking the highway. The creatures never even seen her, even with her sloppy flying. Spreading her wings wide, she glided only feet off the of asphalt and began an assault on a small army of her enemies. Connecting with her first creature Mara smashed its face-off of the highway, pulling her wings in close to stop her flight. The beast made no noise, it was dead on impact. The rest of the group swung around, not knowing what exactly was going on. Mara stood, the soft light of the moon illuminated her beautiful skin. Her wounds from the first attack still bled through her bandages. Her horns glistened while she studied her enemies. Everything seemed to freeze at that moment, but it only lasted a moment. Mara took a step towards Ferric and rang out her order,  "Who are you!" She was blind with rage. Ferric laughed at the young Aylyte and wiggled his finger at her like an upset parent, a wave of Aylytes began to charge Mara. She smiled, waiting to let off some steam and crouched into an attack position. Little did the attacking group know, they had no chance against a royal. Ferric was enraged, grabbing Goran by his chest plate; they knew what she was.   "The scent when we broke through! On the roadway. How could one of those damn Royals have followed us?"  "Sir, the scent was coming from in front of us, not behind. I figured it would be much too young to give chase."  The two beasts watched in amazement at Mara decimate their horde of followers. Every Aylyte attacking her tried to kill Mara, but she beat them to it. Ripping at their throats, slashing stomachs, snapping necks. Nothing seemed to stop her. She was on a mission to avenge her mom. Her strength and speed shocked the Aylytes and Mara herself. Tossing the last of the dead beasts to the side, she made her way to Ferric. "Well, she's here and giving chase!" Ferric screamed.  "What should we do, my lord. Shall I end her?" Ferric thought for a moment and came up with an idea.  "No, Goran. Let's try to get her on our side. She's young, we play coy, and she might lead us to another amulet." Goran smiled at the thought of having a Royal on their side. "With more amulets, we could make this world; however, we see fit!" He grinned. "I want to know as much as possible about how she is here, play along," Ferric ordered, and Goran nodded in agreement. But before Ferric could muster his first word, he was slammed into the roadway by a bloody and very angry Mara.  "You pig!" Goran roared, stepping toward Mara while she wrapped her claws around his throat. "Goran, no!" Ferric shouted, stopping his friend instantly and making sure his bag didn't spill out its contents. "Start talking!" Mara ordered again. Goran stared off into the night. A pile of his dead cohorts lay spread across the highway. Bodies piled up, blood smeared every direction. Goran couldn't make out who was who. He shook his head and helped Ferric to his feet. The impact from Mara was impressive, snapping seven of Ferric's ribs. A few Aylytes appeared out of the darkness, shocked at what they were witnessing.  "Alodon! Seize your sword! All is well." Ferric was holding his ribs and had his other hand out in surrender. A dark blue-skinned, heavily scarred Aylyte released the grip of her sword and put her hands at her sides. "Who are you, child? How are you here? The gateways haven't been opened for a long time." Asked Ferric. Mara was confused, squinting as she decided what to say.  "Your scouts attacked my mother the other day." Ferric and Goran's faces dropped. Another Royal is here, they thought. "That was not their orders. They were to scout the land for a safe place to take shelter. You have my word." Goran raised his right hand and placed his other over his heart. Laughing on the inside knowing he gave them orders to do as they wish as long as they returned. Mara didn't know what to make of the whole thing. But they were the same creatures as her, she had to trust them, didn't she?  "If I take you somewhere safe, you tell me everything you know about what we are." Her voice was stern and powerful, not a hint of weakness broke through. Ferric and Goran gave each other a look and agreed.  "Stay quiet and stay alert," Mara ordered.  "What shall we do with our friends?" Aladon asked quietly, looking over the m******e Mara had left for them. Goran knew they had to move the bodies at least, or they wouldn't have much time to hide.  "Throw them into the ditches, and let's go." Mara gave the order looking back over her shoulder. She didn't care about what she had done, wishing she could do it to Ferric. Mara didn't quite trust him, but she needed answers. Quickly, Ferric, Goran, Aladon and the remaining few Aylytes grabbed and removed the evidence. Tossing the dead bodies off of the highway into a deep ravine. Mara stood with her arms crossed, never offering to help, just huffing when they took to long. "We done? Can we go now?" A highly annoyed Mara grunted.  "Finished," Goran answered, wiping the drying blood from his hands.  "Than let's go," Mara disappeared into the thick brush that surrounded the highway. Hearing the angry grunts of the group behind her, she set the pace. Breaking through the trees a few hundred yards up the mountain, the area opened up to the old miner trail. The same one that took her to the church, but Mara wouldn't risk giving away her safe space for complete strangers.  "May I ask where you are taking us?" Ferric limped beside Mara, his ribs sending electricity through his body with each step.  "There is a cave not too far from here. We can take cover inside." She answered, rolling her eyes and quickening her walk. Ferric fell behind and caught up with Goran.  The giant beast caught his commander as Mara climbed over the thick roots and broken branches that littered the ground.  ”What is the plan, my lord?" Ferric breathed heavy, getting his weight off of his broken ribs was a much-needed release.  "Well, my friend, we'll cross that bridge when we get there." A sinister smile crawled across Ferric's face. CHAPTER 7 The cool breeze of summer washed across the seven remaining Aylytes faces. Owls hooting in the distance, the strong smell of burning timbers, and the snapping of twigs and branches, it seemed to calm Mara. The moon was beautiful and large tonight; it illuminated the path for the group as they traveled with ease. Off in the distance, Goran could see a long dark corridor carved into the side of the mountain with the words ‘Caution: Mine Closed. DO NOT ENTER’ plastered all over the entrance. Ferric grabbed the closest Aylyte to him and shoved it in the dark hole.                                   ”Find out what's in there." Shaking, the scared Aylyte nodded and turned to face the dark abyss. Inching in further, it noticed the ground sloped into the mountain. "Careful, it drops off about thirty feet in," Mara announced, keeping an eye out for anything that looked suspicious.  "Ferric!" The creature screamed, its voice echoing off the walls. "It's a tunnel, but I can't see where it leads!"  "Nothing we can't handle, right?" Goran stated, Mara, shooting him a wicked glare. "Find fire!" Ordered Ferric. The small group scattered to find any means of light, Ferric held on to his ribs, broken badly from the journey and worsened by the thunderous shot taken by Mara. Behind him, he could hear cracking rocks together to create a spark. Reaching into the pouch that hung from his shoulder, he pulled out the odd trinket — a single gold disk with strange stones adorning it. Engraved in dagger-like symbols, it was a masterpiece. Gripping it tightly in his claws, he would kill to protect it. Mara carefully inspected the oddity in silence, knowing it had to be important. "Ferric!" A beast called from the woods. "Fire!" Quickly placing the golden disk back in his pouch, he turned to steal the burning branch.  "Grab something, everyone. We all need to be on the lookout." Ferric chanted. Each of the remaining members grabbed bits of tree branches and made their way to their leader. Lighting each one with his torch, making sure no Aylyte was blind in the dark.  "Hurry, we need to get out of sight!" Goran announced. Mara wasn't sure about Goran. It almost seemed like he should be leading the group. Slowly, making their way into the abyss, the glow of the torches illuminated the walls of the old coal mine like dancing angels. Step by step, each creature could see the remains of what was once an immense business. Decades-old tools littered the ground. Moldy warning signs nailed to every support beam in the cave.  "This could collapse at any moment, Ferric." Goran had taken the lead. He was always trying to prove himself worthy. "Afraid of the dark, are we, Goran?" This angered him, to be thought of as a coward was inexcusable! Goran had been to countless wars with Ferric and never once showed an ounce of fear. He picked up his pace and led the group, leaving Ferric behind. "Careful," The group leader demanded. "What? Afraid of the dark now, Ferric?" Goran laughed. "You might wanna tell Mr. Big Shot to slow down, or he's gonna get hurt," Mara stated, pushing herself past the others of the group. "Gorgan! Slow down!" She shouted. "It's Goran!" The beast shouted back at her. Not focusing on what was in front of him, he was met with an old wooden beam hanging low, smashing his face on it with bone-cracking force. Goran lost control of his temper, swinging wildly into the darkness. Roars erupted from the group, screams of fear rang out as Goran's roars fell silent.  "Silence!" Their leader demanded.  "Told you." Mara's snotty comment only enraged Ferric more.   "Goran!" Ferric screamed! "Goran!" He cried again to no answer. Rushing over to the last place he saw his friend, he noticed more signs on the cave walls.  CAUTION: PIT!  Looking down, and with the small glow of the flame, Ferric could see his friend had fallen down the shaft Mara had warned them about.  "Goran! Goran, are you there!" The beast was in a frenzy. No answer. No movement. Having no other choice but to go down himself, he spread his wings but figured it was useless in the cramped cave; they barely opened halfway. His pulse quickened as his eyes caught the sight of an old rusty metal ladder attached to the side of the pit.  "You!" Ferric pointed to the same beast whom he had broken his horns off on the road. "Keep everyone here!" Looking down the shaft, Ferric took a breath and leaped, dropping a few dozen feet before grabbing ahold of a crumbling ladder that was barely attached to the cavern wall. "Goran!" He screamed, waving the flame all around. Climbing down slowly, testing each rung to see if it would hold his weight. Deeper and deeper it seemed to be never-ending. "Goran!" Ferric was angry for pushing the loyalty of his friend. He was the only one he trusted; they had been warriors since childhood together. He looked up, noticing the flicker of lights coming from the group had all but disappeared. Only the glow of his small flame kept him out of the dark. Mara had strolled to the drop-off and was looking down at the drama unfolding, personally not interested. She just wanted her answers.  "This is taking to long!" Ferric roared. Looking down at the unknown, he threw his flame down the hole and let go of the rusty ladder, flailing his wings upwards to try and break his descent. Falling quickly, feeling he would never stop. He gazed down as the ground was coming up fast. Slamming onto the wet floor of the pit, snapping his ribs, even more, cursing the intense and crippling pain.   "Gor...an…" He whimpered out.  "Ferric!" A familiar voice rang out as Goran rushed to his friend’s side. "Are you insane?"   "I've done worse in battle." He laughed. "Are you alright?" "Yes, my lord. I fell hard, but I'm fine. My wings are another story, though." Goran said in an upset tone. Picking Ferric up off the ground, Goran grabbed the torch from beside him.  "Let me have a look." Ferric paced around Goran and looked over his wings.  "I tried to fly, but the walls were in the way."  "Yes, I tried the same. I climbed the ladder but gave up and jumped. I need you alive my friend. You're the most important part of our plan." Goran took pride in Ferric's words.  "That is why my loyalty lies with you, Ferric, over that Royal garbage. I still don't understand how she is even here?" Ferric agreed with Goran and was amazed at the damage done to his wings.  "A lot of damage, but it will heal. And we will figure out these Royals plans one way or another." "We'll find out sooner rather than later." Growled Goran.   "AYLYTES!" Ferric's ferocious roar echoed through the entire compound of the coal mine.  "Ferric!" One called from above them.  "We camp down here tonight! No room to fly! Climb! Quickly!" Without hesitation, the remaining beasts above Ferric clung to their torches and slowly made their way down to the bottom of the pit. Mara was the last to follow, letting them risking their lives over hers. Aladon motioned for Mara to go before her, but that wasn't happening, Mara knew not to trust anyone. As the last Aylyte made their way off the ladder, the orders were called out.  "Make a fire, large enough to see the whole of this place!" Without banter, a few of the Aylytes began to rummage through whatever they could find — breaking the handles off of all the old tools, pulling broken support beams from the ceiling and walls, piling everything up to the center of the room.  "Careful!" Snapped Goran, "One wrong move, and this whole thing could come crashing down on us!" Turning to Mara, who was just making her way down the ladder, Goran was about to give her orders. "As for you, you can…" He was cut off quickly. "No. That's not how this works. I allowed you and your friend to live so I could get some answers. That's it." Mara was resilient. She would have never stood up like this in her human form. She enjoyed the power. It was like a drug to her.  As the weaker beings toiled with the hard work, some building a fire, the others taking inventory of the weapons along with the shields and chest plates they had brought with them. Ferric made his way to a small cut out just off of the main area. When he knew he was alone, he collapsed under pain of his broken bones. Positioning himself up against a wall, he pulled the golden disk from his pouch again, making sure it was safe.  "Faster!" Ferric heard the calls coming from Goran. Looking back down at the disk, it shined unusually in the flickering torchlight overhead.  "This world will be ours!" He snapped.  "Ferric!" Goran called out. Finding his friend, alone and battered.  "I'm here. Have some of the others scavenge for food."  "Yes, sir."     "I need to speak with you when you're finished." Ferric could hear everything going on in the damp cavern.  "Listen here!" Goran's voice rang out. "You and you." He pointed to two of the creatures trying to hide in the back. "You're in charge of hunting. Find enough for all of us."  "But, Goran." One begged. "We aren't the best gatherers for the job." The small-sized Aylyte tried to weasel his way out of work. His horns stood tall on his head with an almost glow to them. Goran made his threat very clear. "Bring us food, or you'll be food!" Again, Mara looked over Goran, again not being sure if Ferric should be leading this group. "Understood." It scrambled around and grabbed the other Aylyte.  "What if we are seen, Goran? We don't know anything about this side."  Having reached his limit of the whining coming from the two, Goran swung his arm around with as much force as he could muster and slammed his closed fist into the jaw of one of them. The creature went flying across the dirty mine, landing in a pool of blood as the group shook in fear.  "It's simple, you fool. Don't be seen!" Shaking their heads in agreement, the Aylyte made its way to pick up his partner and scurried their way to the base of the ladder to begin their ascent.  "Finally, some peace," Goran said, turning his back to the group.  "Sire?" An Aylyte approached Goran, almost the same height, bright green eyes, and two broken horns.  "What?" "I have made an inventory of our weapons." This pleased him, as he never asked for any Aylyte to do this.  "Go on."  "We have a total of twelve chest plates, three axes, sixteen daggers, nine swords, and four helmets."  "Good work." He praised the Aylyte. "Gather the metal pieces from the tools and have it melted down. We'll need more weapons for our plans!" Mara stood, arms crossed leaning against the wall. Pretending not to hear about "their plans," she acted like she was concentrating on something else.  Back in the secluded section of the mine, Ferric was still leaning against the wall, thinking deeply.  "Goran!" He yelled. "Goran!" Within moments, the figure of his friend came into view. "I trust you more than any of the others."  "And I trust you, my lord."  "How could one of those damn Royals be here already?" Ferric was enraged.  "I'm just as confused as you are, Ferric."  "But with even one of them here, they could ruin the whole thing," he screamed, jumping to his feet. Goran raced over to try and help him, but he was slapped away. "I want to know as much as possible about her! I want to know her bloodline! I want her dead!" Goran gave Ferric an odd look.  "We're not here for them; we're here to make this world our own!" He paused, waiting for a rebuttal but was met with silence. "We can create something new here, Ferric. We can make this world ours. Our own kingdoms and law." "That is still the plan, my friend." Ferric managed to choke out, trying to block his pain, gripping the golden disk in his hand. Goran looked down at the trinket and smiled.  "I almost forgot, we have the…" "I HAVE!" Ferric shouted like a wild beast. "I have a Gordian Amulet! Not you!" His pain was too much as it caught up with him. Ferric leaned hard against the dirty wall of the mine trying to stay on his own feet. Goran raced to his side trying to help his commander to the floor with ease.  "You're right, Ferric. You found the amulet; what you chose to do with it is your call."  "No, my friend. It is ours. We hunted it. If only we could find the rest! I wasn't expecting a damn Royal here, but if we get her on our side, who knows if she's hiding more."    "We need to keep the others quiet about her." "It's already taken care of, my lord." Ferric began to cough violently, spitting blood.  "I'll go see if the others are back with any food." As Goran went to stand, Ferric stopped him. "No need. Let the others eat. We need to deal with the Royal." Mara was tired of waiting, tired of the secrets. She found her way into the small cut out where Ferric and Goran were hiding, discussing their plans. She walked with confidence and purpose. In her head, she wished Annie and Roman could see her; they'd be so proud. Finding Ferric lying on the floor holding the amulet, Mara snatched it out of his hand with incredible speed.  "So, gonna tell me what this thing is?" Mara's question was interrupted by commotion above them. The two Aylytes charged with gathering food had done just that. A thunderous crash echoed through the cavern walls. A deer had fallen from up top followed quickly by the two Aylytes.  "Ferric! We have found food!" They shouted in a proud manner. "That was quick. Too quick." Interrupted Goran. The small beasts hung their head.  "We found a path. The deer was already dead; we brought it back."  Mara was shaken; it had been the same deer she killed earlier when she couldn't stop herself.  "You're going to eat that?" She asked, half disgusted. Goran made his way over to the meal. His massive frame dwarfed the small doe, he grabbed one of the hind legs and tore it from the body, blood decorating the cavern walls and floor and taking a healthy-sized bite, pulling the flesh from the bone. "Sure am. Want some?" Holding out the leg to a nearly sick Mara. CHAPTER 8 The clock on Annie's dresser read 6:03 a.m., but she had woken up hours before the alarm. Her life wasn't cut and dry.  "Easy." She whispered to herself, gazing around her room, fighting to breathe. Focused on the posters hanging on her wall, not one inch of her room was plain. Annie hated plain; she was a fun-loving type of girl and hated boring. Her mirror covered in photos of her, Mara and Roman, along with other CFers she had met over the years. The walls were artistic swirls of purples and blacks. A hand-painted rose was the centerpiece of the room. The lines were jagged and sloppy; the paint was smeared on and dripped outside of the outline. Annie loved it. It brought a calm to her mind. "Perfect imperfection." She thought to herself. "Annie?" Her mother yelled from the kitchen. "I'm awake." She managed to get out.  "Come get your breathers, I'm making breakfast" Her mom was the closest person to her. Mara was her best friend, but her mom was her rock, she wouldn't have made it this far if not for her parents. Taking her time, Annie made it slowly down the steps. Her father, Terry, greeted her from his favorite chair while he watched the morning news. "Hey!" He said in a jolly tune. A large man with black hair and his famous goatee, he only stood 5'6", but was highly respected around the town. Her parents owned a successful electrical company, and sometimes they did work for Mara's father. Terry felt odd doing jobs on the base; it was always secret work and a lot of documents to sign. Either way, he would take the jobs to support his family.  "How are you feeling today, kid?" He asked. Annie ignored him, making her way to the computer stand stationed in the corner of the living room. Her neb treatments were all ready and laid out other; all she needed to do was to put on her compression vest. Annie was always annoyed with the work that went into treating her cystic fibrosis but did it to make her mom happy. With her vest on and her breathing treatment hanging loosely from her mouth, Annie took in tiny breaths while scrolling through f*******:. "Breathe deep kiddo!" Her father yelled, knowing his words would annoy his daughter.  "Hush up. I know what I'm doing. Is the food ready yet?" She asked louder as the tightness in her chest began to ease.  "Almost." Annie's mom, Terri, answered. She was an overprotective but incredibly loving mother. Even with running a business and treating her daughter, she was never without a smile and a corny joke. Terri placed thirty pills in front of Annie with a glass of water.  "Pills. Take them, and don't forget your enzymes before you eat." Annie never took her eyes off the computer screen, rather merely popping them into her mouth and swallowed.  "That's so gross you can do that." Terri huffed. A half an hour passed, and Annie finished up her treatment and made her way to the kitchen.  "What are we having?"  "Pancakes and bacon." This was one of Annie's favorites, and it always helped give her some weight that she desperately needed to keep on.  Terri stood the same height as Annie, her dirty blonde, almost brown hair, pulled back in a short ponytail. Her glasses steamed up as the bacon sizzled in the pan. Annie sat down at the small round table in the kitchen and admired the bird wallpaper. "Any plans today?" "I'm going to try and see Mara."  "Try and see Mara?" Terri asked, confused, flipping another pancake.  "It's weird. She hasn't called or texted in a couple of days. I am starting to worry. I texted Roman, and even he hasn't heard from her. We might walk over and see." "Just be careful if you go over there. That's all."  "I will mom, I promise." Annie took her time and savored the breakfast. Once she finished the last bite of bacon, she quickly put her dishes in the sink. Annie reached into the cabinet above the stove with numerous large medicine bottles that dominated the shelves. Annie placed four of the enzyme pills in her mouth and swallowed them in one gulp.  "That is so gross, Annie!" Terri shouted. She could hear her husband laughing at her in the living room. "I'm gonna shower and get ready. Could you drive me to Mara's after I'm done?" Annie was hit with a violent coughing fit, holding onto the doorway for balance. Terri stood next to her and rubbed her back, figuring it did nothing for her daughter. After a few minutes, the coughs stopped, and Annie began her daily fight to breathe.  "Thanks, mom." Terri looked at her only child and held her tears back. "I'm gonna go get ready." Terri nodded, knowing she had hours before her daughter would be ready. Annie's father walked into the kitchen as Annie was walking out. He was going to bump into her playfully, but with her fit, he decided to hold off. He handed Terri his dirty plate,  "I'm heading out. We have that job to finish in Willowbrook, and it's a long drive with traffic." He kissed his wife goodbye and poked Annie in her arm. "I'll see you two tonight." Terri winked at her husband, and he headed off, leaving the house in his usual manner, swaying his arms back and forth while he whistled out the door.  "Well, you better get moving if you're going to go over," Terri suggested. Annie headed for the bathroom to take a long hot shower. Turning the water as hot as it would go, the steam helped to relax her breathing while she fought to stand straight most days. She stood in the shower for a half-hour, letting the hot water run over her sore body. Knowing she would be in the hospital soon, her body was giving her all the clues. Stepping out and wrapping her hair and body in towels, she brushed her teeth and examined the scars on her stomach in the mirror. She hated them, but with so many hospital stays or needing some surgery to keep her healthy. She knew they were necessary. Swinging the bathroom door open, the steam from her shower filled the kitchen and hallway. Plopping herself down on the couch, she flickered through the channels and found an old episode of General Hospital playing on the Soap Channel. "Don't sit around in your towels for an hour either, missy!" Terri shouted from the kitchen.  Annie did just that, sitting in her towel for over an hour. Texting Mara to see if she was awake, but never got a reply. Getting more annoyed, she messaged Roman. "Hey Ro, have you seen/heard from Mara?" A minute passed before an answer. "No, I haven't. But I need to get out of my house. Wanna go over and check on her?" The reply made her smile, Roman was a great friend and always put others before himself. "Yea. Just lemme get ready, and I'll head over." "No need, just meet me at Mara's." Getting up and ready was always a chore, her chest would begin to tighten not long after her treatments. Back to her room, Annie took her time getting ready,  wheezing in her chest was already starting up, sitting on the edge of her bed again, taking slow but deep breaths. A few minutes passed, and she felt good enough to get dressed. "Mom?"  "Yea?"  "I'm ready when you are."  "Whoa, only an hour and a half? That's a record for you!"  The ladies headed out to their car. Annie noticed the two vans her parents owned for their company weren't parked out front.  "Both are gone?" Pointing to the empty parking spots.  "Oh yeah, we're wiring a car dealership. The place is huge." Terri answered. They made their way down the stairs to the sidewalk running along their house. Annie, in that short time, lost the air in her lungs. Reaching the bottom step, she had to take a break; her mom was right behind her. Annie had her hands on her hips with her head tilted back, breathing heavily.  "Come on, Ann, let's get you to the car." Terri helped her daughter to the passenger's side door.  "Where's your inhaler?" Annie already had it out, and taking puffs, trying to breathe in as deep. They both sat there in the driveway for nearly twenty minutes before she felt she could go on her own.  "I think it's time for a tune-up, sweetheart," Terri said, rubbing her daughter's back. "I know mom, I know. It's been going too well." Gritting through her teeth. "Are you sure you want to hang with Mara today? You can always go later?"  "No, mom. I want to see her. I miss her." Terri smiled lovingly. She knew Annie was a tough cookie, but the worry was always on her mind. Her parents knew Annie was only getting worse as it took its toll on all of them, but they never showed signs of giving up.  "It's not all unicorns and butterflies, mom. You know that." Terri had to fight back a tear from falling.  "That's my line!. Come on; I know you won't listen to me. Let's go." Annie pulled her legs into the car, seeing her mom was upset. "Mom, you know I love you, right?"  "Stop, Annie. Please. Not now." "Ok, I'm sorry mom." Smiling and looking down at her phone.  "You know I love you too." Terri reached over and fixed a stray black hair on Annie's head. "Mom! Don't mess up my hair, please!"   "Sorry, sweetheart. Didn't mean too."  "You know it takes me hours to be this gorgeous." She joked. "We're gonna meet Ro at Mara's. I'm shocked his dad let him out of the house."  "You know how his father is, honey. Poor kid will never have a normal childhood."  "Yea, I know. Mr. Fief is a nice guy but a little too strict in my eyes." "That's Colonel Fief, young lady." They both shared a laugh.   The drive to Mara's house was a short one. Annie lived on the outer edge of the base along the border. They listened to the radio on the way there, bobbing their heads to the music. Waving to their neighbors and the soldiers who marched up and down the streets. Making a left up the hill to Mara's, Annie's mom could see the old firehouse.  "I remember having my birthday parties there. I wish these stupid fires never happened. This town was glorious in its hay day." Annie just looked at her mom,  "I, uh, I wouldn't know mom. Kinda been like this since I was born."  "This town was better than Shreeville when I was a kid. We had it all. But it all moved away when the town died." A look of sadness washed over Terri's face, remembering her childhood. Turning up Stanwood Lane and a little further up the hill, Annie let out a squeal, she could see the roof of Mara's house over the trees, and they could see Roman walking on the side of the road. He was wearing his track shorts and a white t-shirt. His earbuds were hanging from his neck while the sweat ran down his face. Terri stopped the car to let him in. "Hi, Roman." "Hey, Terri. How are you?" "Fantastic. How are you?" Roman looked sad, something had happened at home, and Terri didn't want to push the subject. "So, what's the story with Mara?" "No idea. She disappeared, so I'm hoping everything is ok." Roman answered, climbing into the car, the A/C cooling him down instantly. Pulling up to the house, they were all shocked at the commotion on the road. Black hummers lined the street, blocking the rest of the way to Mara's house. They were stopped by strange soldiers in even stranger face masks. One approached the driver's side window and spoke calmly. "Roads closed. Please turn around."  "Is everything ok? Where are the Ganges'? They're the only house on this street." Terri was in a rare mood. She had never raised her voice to a soldier before. Roman and Annie paid little attention to the guard and looked over the sea of hummers and got a look at the condition of the house,  "What happened to the tree?" Roman blurted out.  "What happened to her window?" Annie added. Mara's yard was no longer the well-manicured lawn it had always been. The giant oak tree that stood as a permanent guard over the house was gone. Nothing left but a deep hole where it once stood. The lawn had been torn up, mounds of new dirt were piled on the yard to help fill in the deep trenches carved into the Earth. The window in Mara's room was brand new; the siding surrounding the frame hadn't even been put up yet.  "Has Mara said anything about this?" Roman asked.  "No, I haven't seen her," Annie answered.   "What the fu…" Roman was cute off by Terri when she took her focus off of the guard. "Well, kids, that gave me no answers." "Did they say anything?" Roman asked. Terri shook her head no. "All they said was the general would contact us when he's ready."  Turning around, the three sat in the car now parked at the bottom of Mara's hill. Not one of them could make any sense of what was going on. Pulling out her cell phone, Terri dialed a few numbers.  "Calling dad?" Annie asked. A few rings later, someone on the other end answered. "Hello, General Ganges. It's Terri, Annie's mom." Annie and Roman's face dropped. They had never seen her call Mara's dad before. Terri sat on the phone for some time talking with him. The kids could only hear muffled sound of his voice while Terri chewed on her thumb. Terri's only answers were always a "yea" and "uh-huh." Annie could see tears building up in her mom's eyes, she gently placed her hand on her mom's knee, Roman sat in the back seat scared, but he would never admit it.  "Ok, thank you, general." Worry took over in Terri's voice. She laughed at the general's joke and wiped her eyes.  "Ok, Rolly. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call us. You're Annie's second family." Terri ended the call and looked out the window with her chin resting in her hand. The kids waited for her to talk first. "Apparently, there was an animal attack." Terri fought the urge to cry, she had known Dot for years, and the general had always been a fair man. Her pain was with Mara, she was like another daughter, and the best friend Annie could have ever asked for. "Dot is in the hospital here on base, but Mara was taken somewhere else for her wounds. He wouldn't say where."  The car was silent. No one moved. Annie began to feel terrible; she hadn't checked up on Mara sooner.  "Well, we need to find out where she is!" Annie demanded. Terri leaned over and hugged Annie tightly. Roman sat back in the seat and began to tear up himself.  "When did this happen?" He asked. "A day ago. They aren't sure what animal could have done this." Terri answered. "That's one hell of an animal attack." Roman blurted out. The three wiped their faces and tried to calm themselves down.  "Do you guys want to go see Dot?" Annie asked. "Yes!" Roman shouted. "Hopefully, she has more to say."  "Let's go!" Annie pointed towards the new hospital, not even a half-mile from them. Terri looked at Annie and back at Roman. "That's gonna be a problem." The kids just looked at her in awe. "She's not allowed visitors at this time." "Ok, now this is getting strange," Roman answered, scratching his head. CHAPTER 9 The clock on Roman's nightstand read 6:03 a.m. He was sound asleep, ignoring the commotion going on downstairs. His parents were always fighting over how to raise him. His mom, Callie, wanted him to learn by trial and error. Letting him make his own mistakes, let him be a child. His father, on the other hand, was a strict military man and had no time for silly games. Roman was woken up by the sound of his father's boots stomping on the stairs, wiping the sleep from his eyes, reaching for his alarm clock. He leaped from his bed just as his father kicked the door in.  "Roman Awar Fief." Colonel Fief shouted from the doorway. His uniform pressed perfectly, and his boots shined like a sparkling diamond. "Yes, sir!" Roman shouted, standing in his pajama bottoms and no shirt. He hadn't seen his dad in a few days, but he knew something was bothering him, his temples were sweating. "It's well past 06:00, and you're still lying in bed like a lazy son of a b***h?"  "Sorry, sir, I overslept." Roman was tired of living like this. He never wanted to be in the military. He always wanted to travel the world, but as a doctor, never wanting to be bothered with the duties of a soldier. He had dealt with it enough, living under his father's roof.  "You have a list of chores to do, young man. I expect them to be finished well before I arrive back home tonight!" Colonel Fief was face to face with his son. Roman could smell the coffee on his breath. Callie stood in the doorway, trying to argue with her overbearing husband.  "Andrew, will you let the boy enjoy his summer! Let him sleep in once in a while!" She shouted.   "Callie, when I want your opinion, I'll ask for it." He shot her an evil eye.  "Now, as for you, boy. I want my lawn mowed and trimmed. Neatly. With every last clipping picked up and bagged. I want the cars washed and polished to a mirror finish, and I want this mess of a room cleaned up before 16:00." Fief was still shouting. Roman stood with his shoulders back and fist clenched. Callie looked around the room. It was spotless, not a single thing out of place.  "What more do you want him to do in here, Andrew? Strip the paint off the walls?" Colonel Fief shot his wife another look and walked over to the dresser. Pulling a single glove from his pocket, he put it on quickly and ran a single finger across the top. Looking at it with anger, showing Callie and Roman the minute speck of dust that had collected.  "You would fail if you were in my unit." "Jesus, Andrew, just have him live in a bubble, why don't you!"  Callie had grown tired of her husband's constant belittling of her and her son. The Colonel made his way back to the door with his hands behind his back. Callie moved out of his way, not to engage him anymore.  "You have till 16:00, Roman. Or you won't have a moment to yourself for the rest of the summer understood?"     "Yes, sir." Colonel Fief left the room, slamming the door behind him. Roman's eyes filled with tears as his mom embraced him tightly. "I'm so sorry, honey."  "I am to mom. You shouldn't have to deal with him."  "He's my husband."      "Yea, well, he's an asshole." Callie was shocked at her son's words.      "Come on. I'll make you some breakfast and help you clean your room."       "No, mom, those were my orders. I'm sure you have your own." Making his way down the steps to the dining room, dull brown color with white molding. A family portrait hung on the wall. "Do we have any wood polish mom?"  "Yea, sweetheart, it's under the kitchen sink!" Roman could smell his mother was making waffles. He walked past the doorway to the kitchen and into the laundry room. "Honey, I thought you needed the polish?"  "I'm grabbing some paper towels. Do you know if the lawnmower has gas?"  "No idea, sweetie. Take your time. Eat first."  Roman made his way to the garage. Nothing was out of place, not even a grease stain on the concrete floor.  "Everything has a place, and there's a place for everything," Roman muttered. The weed whacker was hanging by the rafters. He could see the small tank was full. Checking the mower, it was full as well, but when Roman went to move it, it was stuck.  "What the hell?" He could see his father had placed a chain around the handle and looped it around a hot water pipe,  "No one is going to steal the f*****g lawnmower dad!"  Stomping back into the house, angry that his father always pulls such stupid stunts. "How the hell am I supposed to mow the lawn if dad chained the mower to a pipe?!" Throwing his hands up.  "Come on, Ro. Foods done." Callie said softly. Leading him into the dining room, "I'll call your father and find the key." Roman sat down at the head of the table. Digging in, he inhaled half the butter covered treat in a few minutes. Callie left and brought him some orange juice.  "Geez, Roman!" She shrieked. "Hungry?" He smiled at her with a goofy face. "Want another one?"  "I gotta get started, mom. I have a lot to do." Standing up handing his mom the plate, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek before heading back to the garage. "I bet the key is in dad's office." Roman thought out loud, staring at the chained mower. His father's office was off-limits. No one was allowed in without Colonel Fief's invite. He always told his family it's his area, and nothing in there concerned them. Roman thought for a moment and decided that if his dad wanted the yard work done, he would need to get the key. Making his way back to the kitchen, where his mother was cleaning up the breakfast mess, his father's office was just off of the living room. Two large glass doors separated it from the rest of the house. Peeking through the window, he could see the hardwood floor waxed to perfection. The desk, which was a replica of the Resolute Desk in the White House, was centered in the room. Pictures of his father with other commanding officers, presidents, and foreign visitors decorated the walls. Roman turned the knob to the door, shocked it was unlocked.  "No way!" He thought looking over his shoulder, Roman made sure his mom was still in the kitchen.  "No turning back now." Closing the office door behind him. "Roman!" Callie called, he froze in place, knowing he wasn't supposed to be in here. "Roman?" He heard his mother's footsteps head upstairs. Darting across the office, he frantically began to search for the key. There were a few drawers in the desk, but they were locked.  "What the hell, dad?" A large American flag draped on a pole in the one corner, a globe bar in the other.  "The bar!" Doing his best not to disturb anything in the office making his way to the globe bar, he knocked a thick file off of his father's desk, hitting the ground in an exploding mess. "s**t!" He dropped to the floor and began to gather dozens of papers that had scattered everywhere.  "What the..?" Holding a few sheets in his hand, Roman was mesmerized by the strange symbols he had never seen before. It resembled five pillars, the middle being the largest with the outside ones leaning in on the center and shrinking in size. A single large orb floated over the middle pillar. A simple yet powerful design.  "Whoa." He was too focused to hear the idling engine of his fathers SUV sitting in the driveway. Unaware Colonel Fief was already at the front door. Roman couldn't take his eyes off of the papers. Every page printed with CLASSIFIED across them, Mara's name even came up a few times. Roman's heart dropped when he heard the entrance to the office open. "Roman?" "Dad!" Roman shot up in fear. His father took a few steps towards him.     "Just what the hell are you doing here?" The vein in his father's forehead was bulging.  "Dad, I was just…"  "Roman?" Callie came running down the stairs. "Roman, what is going on?" Seeing her husband standing in his office.  "Andrew? What are you doing home?" The colonel turned to his wife with bloodshot eyes.  "Finding your son in my office!"   "No, he was just in the garage." She raced over to see Roman. "Roman Fief! What are you doing?" All he could do was stutter over his words. "What the hell are you doing with that file?!" Fief raced over and pushed Roman out of the way, kneeling down and gathering the remaining papers, stuffing them haphazardly back into the file.    "What were you doing in here?"  "Dad, I was just…just…looking for the key."  "Key for what!"  "The lawnmower is chained to a pipe in the garage." His father turned red in the face.  "Than call, dammit. You know you're not allowed in here!"      "I didn't want to disturb you at work, sir!" He shouted. Colonel Fief had enough, he grabbed Roman by his underarm and lead him out of the office. "Andrew. Andrew let him go! He was only trying to do his chores." Callie was grabbing at her husband's arm, trying to break them free. Tossing Roman into the stair banister. "What did you see?"  "I don't know?" Roman answered. "What. Did. You. See?" Holding up the file in his hand only inches from his son's face. "I saw a few symbols." The poor boy stumbled out. "I saw classified a few times but stopped looking when I saw Mara's name, and then you came in," Fief hung his head in disbelief.  "You keep your mouth shut about any of this. Do you understand me, Roman? Not a word!" His finger was in Roman's face, using his shoulder to pin his son to the wall. Roman grew tired of his father's temper and threats. "Yes, sir!" The imposing man made his way back to the front door, still fuming about the whole situation.  "I'll deal with all of this later. I'm already late." Fief hollered, slamming the door behind him. Callie watched her husband step into the large black SUV waiting on the street. The driver was wearing a strange helmet she had never seen before. Fief took a last look at his house and gave the driver the signal to go.  "Roman, are you ok?" Callie asked. "I'm fine mom." He said, making his way up the steps.  "But sweetheart, let me just…"  "I'm fine!" Slamming his bedroom door. The boy paced back and forth, getting angrier with his father.      "Who the hell does he think he is?!" He said in a rage. "Your son? What, I'm not his son?" It was driving him mad to be in that house. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was a little past 10:00.  "I would have been done with the yard by now!" He screamed. "He didn't even unlock the damn lawnmower! He just left, again. Like always." Grabbing his phone and earbuds, Roman threw on a pair of shorts and a white shirt and headed back downstairs. On his way, he noticed he had messages from Annie. Quickly answering her, he wanted to see a friend right now.   "Sweetheart, where are you going?" Callie asked.   "I'm going for a run, mom. Annie and I are going to see if Mara is home. I need to get out of the house for a little bit."  "Be careful." Roman felt horrible for yelling at his mom and gave her a long hug.     "I will, mom. You should try to relax before he gets back."  With a kiss on the cheek, Roman made his way to the door. It was a beautiful cloudy day, and it was warm, and he couldn't complain about that. The green of the mountains in the distance was a welcoming sight after his argument with his father. Roman thought about Mara's name in the files, but figured the general is her dad; he brushed it off. Putting his earbuds in, he scrolled for a few moments putting together a decent running playlist. A Hummer roared down his street, packed full of men and women doing their rounds. They waved at him, and he returned the gesture. Roman, like Mara, was well known as a ‘Commander's Kid.’ Still angry at his father, he began to sprint, running as fast as he could, ignoring everything around him, he focused on running. It helped to calm him down when he was upset. The Perri high school didn't have a track team, but the school allowed him to run for the Shreeville team, and tryouts were in a few weeks. He ran down his block, up and down the mountains of the town. With each hill, his chest burned, and he fought off the cramps in his legs, but he loved every moment of it.   Cutting across Main Street, he could see the abandoned firehouse that was at the bottom of Mara's hill. Deciding to take it easy the rest of the way, he knew Annie should be pulling up soon. As the thought crossed his mind, Terri and Annie pulled up next to him. Climbing into the car, the cold AC felt amazing to him, he had been running awhile to get over his brash father. Pulling up the hill, the sight of Mara's house was enough to make him shiver. The house was destroyed, and strange guards were all over the place. One of the mystery guards held their hand up to stop the car. Terri was shaken and worried but followed the soldier's orders. Talking through a speaker on the helmet, the guard ordered the car back down the hill. Terri had no other choice and did it with worry. After Terri collected her thoughts, she pulled out her cell phone, frantically dialing a number. "Hello, General Ganges. It's Terri, Annie's mom." Roman watched as Terri talked to Mara's father; he wasn't giving her much to go on. Annie and Roman chatted quietly between each other. "What the hell happened, Annie?" "I don't know! I haven't talked to Mara in a day or so." Watching Terri begin to shake; they could only hear half the conversation. "Is she ok?" Terri asked. "Yes. Ok. Yes. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call." She reached over and ran her hand over Annie's hair. "Yes, sir. Ok. Rolly. Thank you." "Something strange going on," Roman stated, immediately thought of the file in his father's office, and seeing Mara's name on some of the pages, he knew this was something bigger. He decided to keep that little bit of information to himself. Annie suggested that they go and visit Dot, maybe get some answers, but that idea was shot down. Terri looked at Annie and then back to Roman.  "That's gonna be a problem." The kids just looked at her in awe. "She's not allowed visitors at this time." "Ok, now this is getting strange," Roman answered, scratching his head. Pushing lightly on the back of Annie's seat, Roman motioned his head to get out of the car. Knowing what Roman was thinking, Annie opened her door and stepped out of her mom's blue SUV. "Were gonna walk from here, mom," Annie spoke, Roman getting out of the car quickly so he couldn't be stopped. Terri gave her daughter a look of worry.  "Please don't do anything stupid. Those people have the road blocked for a reason." With a smile and a wink, Annie and Roman laughed and promised to stay safe. "We're just gonna walk, Terri. See what we can figure out. That's all." Roman seemed the voice of reason. Watching Terri pull away, the two teens made their way to the old trail behind Mara’s house.  "The trail should be far enough from her house that they can't see us," Annie spoke. Roman looked up at the clouds that hung over the town and thought of the strange soldiers he saw on Mara's street.  "I hope you're right." CHAPTER 10 The sound of the beasts chewing the raw flesh of the dead deer made Mara's new skin crawl. She had never seen anything so inedible in her life, except for maybe watching Animal Planet with her dad. She gave them all ample time to eat and recover, all the while, her curiosity was spiking.  "Ok, that's enough, start talking." She ordered. Ferric was still leaned against the cave wall, his ribs caused him incredible pain, but he was a warrior, nothing he couldn't toughen out.  "What do you want to know?" Ferric asked. "Anything and everything. What are you? We? Where did you come from? What the hell is going on?" "May I ask a question?" "Ok." Mara was uncomfortable.     "What is your name, child?" "Mara. Now tell me what the hell is going on!" This seemed to please Ferric, the Aylyte standing in front of him knew nothing about her past, her bloodline, nothing. He could shape her to his whim. Propping himself up and gathering the remaining Aylytes around the fire they had built.  "My name is Ferric. My second in command over there is Goran. I'm sure you have picked up on that by now." Mara stood; she still didn't completely trust them. Something was off about this whole situation.  "We come from a realm called Torrid, a place once ruled by five powerful kingdoms. Goran and I were elite Royal Guards in the Kunai Kingdom." Mara's face began to light up. Was this all real? Did she want to believe any of this, or was she dreaming the whole thing? Ferric spoke again. Every Aylyte perked up their ears to hear his words.  "Each kingdom offered a special trade or item that we used to barter with or buy. Kunai were master weapons makers. We would trade weapons for silver, gold, food, whatever we needed, and it worked well for many years." He repositioned himself to get some comfort.  "What are the other kingdoms?" Mara ordered. Ferric leaned his head back and thought hard. It had been so long since the war started.  "The Arielytes were masters of flight. The Thoth Kingdom were the historians of our world. They roamed freely through the land and watched. Recording every monumental thing that happened. The Volts were the rulers of the waterways and expert in boat building." His breathing was shallow. It was getting hard to breathe, sitting down. Ordering Goran to help him to his feet, Ferric stumbled to get his balance.  "What's the last kingdom?" Mara asked. "The Laurians," Goran answered first. "Rulers of the currency. Their kingdom sat on top of the largest gold mine in Torrid." He seemed annoyed, even mentioning the name.  "So, why are you here?" "The war." "What war!" Mara screamed, tired of the silly games. The few Aylytes in the cave gave a hearty laugh thinking about the war. "The Royal War!" Ferric announced, slapping Goran on the back. "The war they started and were too coward to finish!" The cave erupted in howling and roars.  "They treated us subjects like trash, and we were tired of it! So we fought back, forced the royals to run and hide, it was our time to rule!" The cave burst out in cheers again, each one pounding their chest and stomping their feet. Mara stood in amazement. Was this really what she was?  "Why are you here, then?" She asked, confused. "Freedom, child. The Royals have destroyed most of our world back home. They tore down castles, poisoned the waters, killed anyone who didn't fight for them. We want a world where we can finally be free!"  Mara's head was spinning, trying to make sense of what or who these things were. Shaking the strange thoughts out of her head and remembering the gold disk.  "So, what is that thing?" Pointing to Ferric's bag that held it securely.  "It's called a Gordian Amulet. Each kingdom owned one." Pulling out the beautiful relic, Ferric inspected it infatuated. They open gateways from our world to this one. We could only find this one, the Kunai Amulet." He laughed at himself while still mesmerized by the amulet.  "Rumors are that the others have been destroyed. The Royals didn't want any more passage through to this world. They wanted to trap us like rats." Goran shot Ferric an uneasy look, widening his eyes as to try and shut Ferric up. "Have you seen anything like these on this side?" Handing it over to Mara while she played with it in her hands thoroughly, it shone like stars in the night sky.  "No, I can't say I have. I just found out I am one of you." Mara paused, thinking they shouldn't know about her human form right now. "What do you mean, child?" Ferric asked curiously. "Nothing. So what is your next move?" Goran walked to Mara and gently took back the amulet and handed it to his leader.  "I need to find a body, Mara." Her face dropped in shock.  "A body?" "Yes. I can explain this all better when the time comes. We need to get to the surface and start looking." Nodding toward Goran, the second in command burst out orders.  "AYLYTES!" Goran's voice was like thunder in the cramped cavern. "Ferric, I and our honored guest will return shortly. Till then, I want you to scavenge for anything useful down here. We're going to need as many weapons as we can salvage!"  Mara watched in slight horror, slight excitement while the beasts carried out their orders. Ferric and Goran circled Mara, walking her back to the ladder they climbed down before.  "Would you like to go first?" A polite Ferric offered. She didn't answer, Mara grabbed the first rung of the ladder and began the steep climb. Halfway up, she looked down, only to see the other two not following.  "Are you coming?" Her shouts echoed.  "When you are off, I don't think it will hold all of us!" Ferric answered he was giving himself time alone with Goran.  "What are you doing, Ferric! She's a Royal! Why would you tell her about the amulet!" "You fool. She's a child who knows nothing about what really happened. I say we use her till we don't need her anymore. She seems to know this world better than we do. Once we have control of this world, we simply kill her." A creepy smile crept across Ferric's scarred face.  "And you can have the pleasure of ending her." Goran didn't know what to say. He had never actually killed a royal before — guards, priests, peasants, but never a royal.  "Are those words true, Ferric?" "You have been by my side all these years. Carrying out orders without question. She will be yours." The two friends shook hands like the kings of the olden days.  "Are you coming or what!" Mara was losing her patience.  "On our way!" Ferric grabbed the first rung and began the climb, taking his time with his ribs, Goran followed behind in case anything went wrong. The climb was slow and took more time than expected. Mara reached her hand out and helped Ferric to the flat surface of the cave, doing the same again with Goran. The day was already beginning, and thick clouds covered the town, nothing unusual about that. The Aylytes took in deep breaths of fresh air. It was a lot cleaner than the stuffy air down in the Earth. Making their way out of the moldy entrance, the summer wind blew the leaves off the trees.  "This place will do wonderfully." Ferric grinned.  "We need to stay hidden. There are people looking for me." Mara warned.  "We don't fear humans, child. They're weak." Taken back by Ferric's words.  "You've been here before?" "Many years ago. Before the war."  The three walked down the mountain terrain, being careful not to cause any major noises. Mara wasn't sure where her father's men were. "Where are we going?" She wanted answers. "I told you, child, I need a body. It will be easier to show you."  Still feeling uneasy about Ferric's words, Mara took the two beasts onto the old miner's trail again. She knew or at least thought no one would be on it, but she was wrong. Not too long into their trip, the three Aylytes could hear the snapping of twigs and the chatter of teenagers. Mara's worries grew and raced ahead of Ferric and Goran, hoping the voices she heard weren't of Annie and Roman. Trying to stay hidden, Mara looked through the thick brush at her two friends walking up the old path. "What the hell are you doing here?" Whispering to herself. She could hear Ferric and Goran coming closer, finally reaching her and kneeling at her side.  "What are you doing?" Ordered Goran. Before Mara could answer, Ferric chimed in.  "I think she has found what we are looking for Goran." Pointing his sharp claw in the direction of Annie and Roman.  "Yes." Goran hissed. "What are you going to do?" Mara ordered.  "You'll see, child. You're going to learn just how powerful an Aylyte can be." "Are you going to hurt them?" "It will be painful, yes, but worth it." Mara would die before she allowed these things to hurt her friends. Without warning, she jumped from the brush, racing towards Annie and Roman. Knowing her new form gave her incredible speed, but nothing as to match Ferric or Goran. They darted past her, stopping her in her tracks. Slamming into their monstrous bodies with immense force, throwing Mara back, causing her to stumble and dazing her in the process.  "Look here, Goran, our new friend, has a soft spot for humans." Both Aylytes laughed at the woozy Mara.  "Goran, could you dispose of this thing." Pointing to the royal who lay before them. "Looks like we won't need her after all." Goran stepped to the battered Mara and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her true form off the ground with ease. Struggling in his powerful claws, he slowly tightened his grip around her neck.   "Goodnight, princess." He taunted, raising his other hand high over his head.  "RUN!" Mara belted out with all of her might. Goran's hand came down fast and hard, knocking Mara out completely. Her body limp, he threw her to the dirt ground of the woods, thinking she was dead.  On the trail, Annie and Roman could hear their friend screaming. Trying to find where she was, they dashed into the trees, only to be met by the massive Aylytes. Looking up at them, Ferric locked eyes with Roman.  "Hello, boy." Mara, slowly coming too, knew she couldn't fight both of them alone. Trying to get to her feet and being as quiet as possible, the surprise was ruined when Ferric turned in time to see Mara take flight. Soaring in the air higher than she had ever flown before, knowing the entire town of Perri would see her, but she needed a plan to save her friends.  "No!" Ferric was in a rage. "Did you not kill her as I ordered."  Goran looked to the sky, stunned at what he was witnessing,  "I guess not." CHAPTER 11 "What the hell are you?" Roman stumbled out. He and Annie stood in terror at what they were faced with. Annie thought quickly and grabbed Roman's arm and running, trying pulling him out of harm's way. Her effort was in vain, she was stopped before they could make it far. Ferric c****d his muscular arm back and swung hard, connecting with Annie's chest, throwing the tiny girl across the trail. She laid in the shadows of the beasts gasping for air.  "Ro…man. Run." Annie's words were a mere whisper in the chaos that followed. The blow from Ferric made it almost impossible for Annie to breathe. Grabbing her chest and pushing herself to her knees, she frantically searched for her inhaler. Her vision was fuzzy. She couldn't make out anything in front of her. Within moments, Annie had lost consciousness, her head slammed hard to the ground.  "What do you want?" Roman shouted, fear not present in his voice, but anger. He was focused on Annie, unconscious yards from him. "Look, it thinks it's scary." Goran laughed. They paid no attention to Roman, and he noticed. He quickly balled his fist and swung swift and hard, right into Ferric's eye. Making contact, it was enough to stun the beast, if only for a moment.  "You little peasant!" The Aylyte roared in a rage, spreading his wings to full span, trying to intimidate the boy. "I should kill you now!" Using his clawed hand to grab Roman by his neck, Ferric began to squeeze, his claws slicing into his throat. Roman turned blue. Ferric was mesmerized by the human dying in his hands. "Would you like to try to strike me again, boy?" Roman's eyes rolled to the back of his head. "Ferric, we need him!" Snapping out of his trance, he knew Goran was right and dropped the boy to the ground. Gasping for air, they watched the lanky teen rolling on the dirt trail trying to escape. He darted for Annie, but Goran cut him off. Running into the huge chest of the Aylyte, Roman bounced off of him like a ball, clawing at the ground, trying to make sense of it all. Pulling himself up to his knees and closing his fist and swinging again. Without hardly any effort, the two Aylytes stepped away, and Roman crashed to the ground.  "Enough of this! Get him up, Goran!" Each grabbed a shoulder and pulled Roman up like a rag doll. "Stand up, boy, and we won't hurt you again!" Roman stood wobbly on his feet. Ferric grabbed him by the face and looked deeply into his eyes. "This will not be comfortable for you!" He laughed. They could see Roman moving his lips but with no sound. "Look, Ferric. It's trying to speak." Laughs again rang out. "Go on, boy. Speak!" Ferric eased his grip on his victims face. With his last defiant action, Roman spat in the face of his attacker, landing right on the tip of Ferric's nose.  "Asinus!" Ferric shouted and slapped Roman down, falling limp on the trail.   "Get him up. Hold his eyes open! Now!" Wiping his face, Ferric paced back and forth. Goran held Roman's bloody face in his hands, making sure to pry his eyes open as wide as he could force them.  "You are going to help us kill that worthless sack of wine royal! Do you understand me!" Roman was gone. Out of it from the hit he took, he didn't know what was going on anymore. He fought his hardest but lost in the end. "Hold him as still as possible!" Ferric was still pacing, he wanted this over with, he wanted Mara dead, and he wanted this world as his own. Ferric was mentally preparing himself for the take over of Roman's body. He had never taken over a human form before this, he had performed a Capere on other Aylytes and knew how to control one with no problem, but this was new.  "Ready?"  "Ready, my lord." Goran was sinking his claws into Roman's face to make sure he didn't move. The blood trickled down over Goran's claws. Ferric let out a roar, throwing the bag with the amulet at Goran's feet.  "Guard that with your life. We've worked too hard to lose it now." He moved closer to Roman and pierced his soul with his eyes. A beautiful golden haze appeared on Ferric's eyes, that seemed to transfer over to Roman. Goran smiled, knowing that Ferric had latched on, and the boy didn't have a fighting chance. Ferric's gaze never broke; the golden haze only grew brighter in both of their eyes. Suddenly, the Capere took over both of them. Ferric began to disintegrate into a fine black mist. His giant form began to turn from a solid beast to a black veil of dust in the wind. It started at his wings and shoulders, then his claws and arms, the final step was Ferric's glowing eyes, still holding onto Roman, Goran cheered for his commander.  "Yes, my lord! You've done it!" Ferric's form had vanished. The thick black smoke cloud swirled around Roman's body. It spun faster around the unconscious boy till it took a full hold on him. Goran released his grip as Roman's body, now completely encircled by the black mist, lifted from the ground, looking as though he were floating on water. Ferric was gone; all that was of him was the black mist entering Roman's eyes, ears, and mouth. The Capere took time, Ferric needed as much time as possible to gain control of the new body and mind ultimately. The boy's eyes were still glowing a bright and beautiful gold as a vile scream came from him, then another. He twitched and swung wildly in the air. Goran was holding his arms in the air in triumph. Ferric had taken over Roman's body.  "Yes, my lord! Yes! This Royal has no chance now!" Letting out a fearsome roar. The black cloud was gone, it had entered Roman, Ferric was now in total control. Knowing everything Roman did, his thoughts, his memories, his secrets, and everything about Mara. Ferric was unstoppable in his hunt for the Royal. Roman's body was still in the air, but it came down quickly and hit the dirt trail with a powerful force. He writhed and kicked, spat and cursed. "Ferric, what is happening?" Goran was puzzled, thinking the Capere was complete but stood confused. Finally, the body of Roman came to a rest. Goran moved closer, "Ferric?" Roman's eyes snapped open. His once stunning green eyes now had a small glimmer of gold surrounding his pupil. "Goran?" The boy asked.  "Ferric, are you in there?"  "Yes, this little peasant is putting up quite the fight." Goran helped Ferric to his feet but felt funny, standing over nine feet tall, while Ferric now stood just under six feet.  "That's a good look on you." Goran laughed. Making there way to where Annie's body lay, Ferric used his new human foot to kick the poor girl.  "Is it dead?" He asked. In an instant, Ferric, in his new body, was tackled again by a very angry Mara. Flying in a loop to gain speed and momentum, she crashed into Ferric with more force than she did on the highway. Goran watched Mara with her hands around the neck of his friend. "Release him, Ferric! Now!" She screamed, her face dropped when the boy spoke. It wasn't the harsh voice of Ferric but rather Roman himself.  "Mara. Please don't." Her friend's voice begged. Mara immediately released her grip.  "Roman?" Her eyes filled with tears, she thought she had lost him forever. It was a ruse, Ferric tricked Mara long enough to land some cheap shots to her face and neck. Tumbling off of what was once her friend, she was ready for war. Goran charged at Mara, snapping his jaw and swinging wildly at her. Mara had no choice but to leave. She couldn't bear the thought of leaving Roman, but she had no choice, they were too strong, and she was still figuring out her abilities. Mara took off toward Goran, her claws ready to kill. Goran swung hard enough to decapitate Mara, but that wasn't her plan. Dodging his kill shot and sliding under it, the dirt and lose branches of the trail tore through her flesh. Goran stubbed over his feet, puzzled, looking to Ferric confused.  "Over here, asshole!" Mara chanted, holding the body of Annie in her arms.  "Get her!" Ordered Ferric. A smirk washed across Mara's face. She had an idea but not sure how well it would work. Mara jumped, taking flight again. Higher and higher she climbed, she could feel Annie's breathing getting stronger, but Mara felt weak. Goran spread his massive wings and took off after her.  "Goran, stop!" Ferric's powerful voice rang out. Looking back mid-flight, Goran wasn't sure what Ferric wanted. Swinging back around, he landed hard in front of his commander. "What!" He shouted. "Do you want her dead or not!" Ferric was calm. He didn't flinch with Goran's powerful voice. "I do. But I don't need you seen, you fool! This world isn't ours yet!" Goran lowered his head, ashamed he almost blew the entire plan.  "I'm sorry, my lord." "We have other ways of bringing her to us, my friend." Ferric closed his eyes and began to steal all of Roman's memories. Ferric knew everything Roman did, every memory, every secret, nothing could be kept from him, even though Roman tried.  "This will be too easy." The two beasts began to walk down the abandoned trail, they could see the town just over the trees. Ferric kept kicking and stretching his new legs and arms, still trying to get comfortable in his borrowed host. Standing side by side, the height difference was comical. Ferric reached into the bag now hanging off Goran's shoulder, checking on the golden amulet. The glimmering jewels that decorated it was spellbinding. Ferric was lost in the beauty of the amulet for a few moments. "We are so close." c*****g his fist backward and swing hard, striking Goran in his huge leg, seeing his commander pull his arm in and try to control it with his other hand.  "What was that, Ferric?" Knowing Roman was still fighting him from the inside, Ferric pressed his teeth together and growled.  "This boy is going to be a thorn in my side." CHAPTER 12 General Ganges kissed his wife Dot softly; he could still taste the dried blood on her lips. She had been fighting to stay awake since she woke from her surgery and was finally, and peacefully asleep. He sat by her bed for hours, going over everything that had happened in the past few days — leaning back in his chair, gazing out of the large window that took over the far wall of the room. It was a beautiful sight. The green, lush mountains seemed never to end. The clouds were thick in the sky, but that is something the general got used too. He thought about his daughter. Where she was, if she found the church or if she was even still alive, but no reports had been filed yet. Slapping his hands on his thighs, he huffed. Knowing he needed to get back to work.  "My heart, my soul, my love, my life." He whispered into Dot's ear, kissing her cheek, not wanting to wake her. Grabbing his coat, he made his way out of the room, looking back briefly at the woman of his dreams.  The general made his way out of the hospital without any incident. No one wanted to bother him with his wife in the condition she was in. They all could see the pain in his face, but he tried to hide it well. A large truck was waiting for him outside the hospital doors, F.E.A. guards keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Reaching into his breast pocket, he pulled out his phone and dialed a few numbers. "Andrew. I'm going to stop off at home before making my way over. I need a change of clothes." The call was over in ten seconds. His house wasn't far from the hospital, a short ride, but felt like thirty miles with the lack of sleep he has had. Pulling out of the hospital parking lot, his mind raced over, not knowing the next move. Where the other Aylytes came from and what he was going to tell his daughter. Minutes passed, and he turned left at the abandoned firehouse and up the hill to his empty home. The F.E.A. guards were still blocking the street, but he got through with no problem. Stopping his truck, he rolled down his window. The other guards saluted their commander. "General Ganges, sir."  "Any news?" He asked. "None, sir."  "Thank you. I'll be home for a few minutes then back to work." "Yes, sir!" The barriers were moved, and the general passed through with ease. Further up the hill, he could just see the top of his roof over the tree line. The house was stunning and was the largest one still left standing in the entire town. A two-story, original brick with a brown roof and matching shutters all around. Four bedrooms with two and a half baths. A big, beautiful screened porch was added on to the side of the home when Mara was a baby. He wanted a place where Dot could hold their daughter in peace.  Pulling into the driveway, he sat for a moment to collect his thoughts. Stepping out of the car, he inspected the damage done to the home, hoping it would be complete before his wife and daughter came home. Off in the distance, over the trees, the general could see something coming at him from the horizon. He knew what it was, he could tell by the lavender-colored skin and impressive wingspan. The fact that she was flying low made him proud. He waited for her patiently, not knowing what was going to happen next. Mara could see her father waiting in the driveway, the wind whipping across her face felt like razors cutting her skin. Still holding Annie in her arms, Mara could barely stay in the air. Her chest was tight, feeling like she was drowning on land. Her head and neck were bruised and bleeding from Goran's cheap shot. But Annie was safe and breathing. She was half-conscious, muttering Mara's name. The wings that overtook her back were heavy; she couldn't hold them up any longer. Knowing the landing was going to be harsh, Mara used her wings to ball herself and Annie up in them, curling around like a protective sphere. Her father watched in shock as the pair slammed into the front yard. More dirt and dead grass went flying everywhere. Annie's body rolled out from Mara's arms. She was alive but weak.  "Jesus Christ! Annie!" The general raced to his daughter's friend and held her in his arms. Mara was dazed, her eyes were wide and glossy.  "He..help..help her!" She demanded. He wasted no time pulling out his phone and ordering a medical crew to his home immediately. Still holding on to Annie, he pleaded with his daughter.  "Mara, honey. I need you to hide. I need you to hide right now!" He screamed, not in an intimidating tone but a fearful parental tone. Mara wrestled to her feet, stumbling the entire way. Her chest burned and any air she had managed to inhale was forced out by the crash landing. Looking back to her father, she could see lights coming up the hill. It was her father's guards, and she knew Annie would be alright. Disappearing into the woods behind her home, Mara made her way back to the cave where she had taken Ferric. Using her sense of smell, she could hunt the other Aylytes like a bloodhound.   "Ferric!" Mara roared, her powerful voice scared the wildlife around her. "Ferric!" The calls became louder, the closer she got to the coal mine.  Mara's breathing became normal once again, she filled her lungs with the mountain air, gasping like she never had before. Still weak, she entered the coal mine leaning on the walls. It was dark, but she knew the drop off would be coming soon. The smell of burning timber filled the air, knowing the others were still here. Her anger grew with each step into the dark abyss, a flickering light could be seen in the distance. Reaching the drop-off, she looked over and saw the four remaining Aylytes gathered around a roaring fire. Old tools from the mining business were scattered around them while they melted the metal down. Mara needed to know Ferric's plan, and she knew they knew. Taking in a deep breath and taking a running leap down the shaft, slamming at the bottom with a thunderous boom, nearly putting the fire out with the rush of air. The remaining Aylytes were in a state of shock.  "Where is he?" Mara demanded, an insane look in her eyes.  "Where is who?" Aladon answered with a cocky tone that Mara had no time for. "Cut the s**t. Ferric. Where is he?" "I don't think I like your attitude, child," Aladon never took her eyes off of the fire, gripping the sword in her hilt with her right hand. Mara finally locked eyes with Aladon, not sure what the outcome would be.  "You saw what I'm capable of on the highway, and I don't think you want that here." Aladon simply laughed at Mara's threat, using her blade to help her stand. The two began to circle the fire in the middle of the cavern. Old mining tools were sitting in the flames, glowing a bright red ready for shaping.  "Just tell me where they are, and I'll go. That's all I want."  "Ferric left to secure this world!" The only words Aladon screamed, swinging her longsword at Mara's head, missing by just inches. Jumping back, the three remaining Aylytes cowered in the corner, admiring Mara's bravery.  "Ok, b***h. It's gonna be like that." Mara spread out her wings in the small area, taking over most of the room. Sprinting at Aladon, she could see her getting ready for another swing. In a flash, Mara reached and grabbed her attacker's wrist, stopping her and twisting so violently, Aladon's snapping bones echoed off the walls. Horrid screams escaped her mouth. "You pathetic worm!" Holding her wrist, it was completely broken. Mara picked up the heavy sword and admired the beautiful artwork that covered the piece. Every hammer strike the formed the blade could be seen proudly displayed. The flicker of the flames illuminated Mara's beautiful lavender skin  "I'll take that back now, princess." Aladon spoke with anger in her voice, racing to Mara and slamming her into the wall, knocking the wind out of her enemy. Even with one hand, Aladon was more powerful than Mara, but not smarter. Blocking some hits and absorbing the others, Mara had to think quickly and brought her knee hard into Aladon's chest. Connecting with endless rounds of fists, Mara didn't go easy on her. She thought of her mom and completely lost control. It was the highway all over again. Mara's aggression was horrifying to the other beasts in the cave. Scared that they would be next, the few followers of Ferric scampered up the ladder to the surface. Mara paid no attention to them; they were weak and would be hunted and killed soon enough. She focused on Aladon and on Ferric and Goran.  "Where are they?" Mara ordered again. The battered and bloodied Aladon spat some of her teeth to the floor and laughed heavily.  "This world will be ours, princess." Her wrist snapped, her face and chest beaten to a pulp, Mara knew Aladon would never talk and she has no other choice. Landing a hard kick to her ribs, forcing the Aylyte to her knees, Mara watched closely while Aladon tried to drag herself to the sword that Mara had dropped by the fire. Her once-powerful wings drug behind her, limp and torn from her beating.  "Aladon, please. STOP!" Mara begged, knowing she didn't want to have to kill her as she watched Alodon still dragging her bloody body across the floor. Aladon reach the sword and gripped it tightly. Mara just watched knowing she was too weak to pick it up. To her surprise, Aladon stood and brought the sword up to her face.    "I killed one of your kind for this sword. Only fitting, I use it to kill another."  "What?" Mara asked confused.  Before she had a chance to think, Aladon attacked again, screaming like a wild banshee. Her wings drug heavy on the ground, slowing her movement. Knowing what she had to do, Mara ducked the lazy swing of her sword and ended up behind her enemy. Confused, Aladon swung blindly behind her, Mara snatched the blade from her attackers hand. She raised the heavy weapon above her head and brought it down hard, sinking the blade deep in Aladon's chest. It was the worst feeling Mara had ever experienced. The sound alone of a sword piercing flesh could drive anyone mad, but the struggle was over. Aladon went limp and fell to her knees, grabbing at the sword in disbelief. Locking eyes with the dying Aylyte, Mara hoped her enemy had changed her mind.  "Where. Are. They?" Mara asked again. Aladon's breathing was heavy, and her demeanor was weak. Her insane laugh worried Mara.  "Where are they?" She demanded. Aladon grabbed onto Mara's hands, still holding the handle of the sword and smiled.  "Memento Mori." She whispered and jammed the blade further into her own chest. Blood rushed from her mouth, and gurgles of her choking were the last things Mara heard before Aladon collapsed and fell to the floor lifeless. Standing in the empty cave, Mara looked down at another dead Aylyte.  "Should have just told me, bitch."  Walking to the fire and kicking a healthy amount of dirt on it.  "That's what we need, another mine fire." Mara stood in complete darkness knowing the only one who could help her now was her dad. Making her way to the ladder, she began to climb, her heavy wings made the trip even harder. Gasping for air at the top, the summer wind blowing in the cave felt amazing to her. Outside, the sun began to sink in the sky, knowing she couldn't risk flying again, Mara made her way on the dirt trail back home, walking with purpose. Going over everything that has happened in the past few days, it all still seemed like a dream. Annie crossed her mind, hoping she made it to the hospital in time. Mara's blood boiled at the thought of another person she loved being in the hospital because of what she was. She could see her house through the thick trees. It seemed calm. No trucks, no strange masked soldiers, no commotion, just her father's truck parked in the driveway, all she wanted was a hot bath and her old bed, but she knew those days might never come again. CHAPTER 13 Ferric walked awkwardly down the streets of Perri, the sun nearly gone in the sky. His new form was constricting and was taking some time to get used too. Continually having to wave at the passing soldiers and townspeople that knew Roman annoyed him. He traversed through Roman's memories with ease. Stalking every detail the boy had, keeping a close eye on the treetops. Having Goran follow him but stay out of sight, for warriors of their caliber, it was an easy thing to do, even with their size.  "My, my boy. It seems that your daddy is pretty popular here." Ferric was robbing Roman of everything.  "Now, let's see what you know." A blank stare came across Roman's face. Turning off of Main Street down a small alley, Ferric was standing in front of Roman's home.      "This is what you call a home?" He taunted. A simple house, tan vinyl siding with a copper-colored roof, two stories with a white picket fence surrounding the property. The grass was completely dead, and the fires were almost directly under the home. "This isn't fit for peasants!" Ferric dusted off the dirt he could see on Romans' shirt and made his way up the stone walkway. Before he even reached the door, he could hear the boy's parents arguing loudly from inside the house.  "Oh no, boy. Trouble at home." Ferric snickered. Walking to the front door, he reached for the handle before the door was torn open by a very angry Colonel Fief.  "Roman!" He shouted, grabbing him by his shirt and dragging him into the house. "Who do you think you are?" The colonel was in a rage, his wife Callie grabbing at the man to release their son.  "Andrew, cut it out. He's a child!" She shouted. Ferric watched in amusement as the family fell apart. Another smile crept across his face, Colonel Fief seen this and lost control. He reached behind him and connected his hand with his son's face, slapping Roman to the carpet.  "You think this is funny? This is because of you!" Nothing seemed to phase Ferric. He stood up immediately and stepped towards his father, standing eye to eye with the man.  "Big man now, huh?" Fief shoved his son into the wall, Callie slapping at her husband. He tossed her off without a second thought. Ferric stared at Roman's mother, laying on the floor with bruises on her arms and a fresh slice down her lip, he felt bad for her. Being distracted by the view of Callie, Ferric almost didn't see the second swing Fief had taken at him. He reached up and stopped Colonel Fief's closed fist attack on him, stunning the man with his strength, Roman was squeezing to the point that Fief fell to his knees. Callie looked to her husband in terror. "You're not going to do that again, are you?" Ferric threatened, nearly crushing the man's fragile hand in his. The colonel's face was in shock at what was happening. Roman walked passed Callie and toward the front door.  "Roman, sweetie. He didn't mean it." Callie begged. Trying to defuse the situation. "He's just worried about Mara and Dot."  "You know, Mara?" Ferric asked, forgetting entirely about being in Roman's body. "Yes…Yes, sweetheart. Mara. Your best friend?" His mother answered. Ferric walked back to the colonel and pulled the man up by his lapels.  "Where is she? Where is Mara?" Ferric's voice began to break through Roman's. Fief was still processing what was going on. "Where is Mara?" He ordered.  "She's missing, Roman." Fief finally spoke. Callie watched the boy toss his father across the room as if he was nothing more than a feather. Things didn't seem to add up to Ferric. He began to stalk Roman's thoughts, shocked at the memories he was viewing.  "Mara was human? How is this even possible?" He thought to himself. Thoughts of Dot came into his head and how she was at the hospital. Even what room, Roman had heard his parents talking about it before in secret. In a huff, Ferric made his way to the door. His parents were holding each other with horrified looks on their faces. Pulling the door open, Ferric began to walk off. "Roman, where are you going, sweetie?" Callie begged. He turned to her, the gold in his eyes twinkling in the light.  "Going to visit my friend Mara." He answered with a crooked smile before sprinting down the street and into the woods behind his home.  Goran followed him from above, gliding from tree to tree. Ferric pushed Roman's body to its limits with his speed. Sprinting into the woods as the thick branches were slicing Roman's thin skin in the process.  "Ferric!" Goran rang out, trying to keep up with his commander, not knowing where he was going — stopping in a small clearing far up the mountain, catching his breath while his mind raced. Goran landed hard in front of the stunned boy. "Ferric! Are you well?"  "She's human," Ferric answered.  "Who?" "The Royal. She's human. How is this possible?" Ferric couldn't put the pieces together. Goran was taken back,  "How can an Aylyte be human?" He thought. "Are you sure, Ferric?" "I looked into the boy's mind, Goran. She is human." The two friends stood in silence for a moment. Just then, a strange buzzing came from Roman's pocket. He was pulling out his phone when the screen lit up with messages from his mother.  "Roman. Your father is sorry. He's under a lot of stress at work. Come home, and we can talk." Ferric once again searched Roman's thoughts on what the strange device was.  "What is it?" Goran asked.      "Communication." Ferric smiled. "We need to go now." Roman knew the mountains of Perri better than most people, and now Ferric knew he wasn't far from Mara's home. Putting the pieces together, he took a guess that is where Mara took her dying friend. The Aylytes raced through the trees and brush, Goran in the lead using his massive frame to make a clearing for Ferric.  "Where are we going, my lord?" Goran shouted through the rumble of his power.  "You'll see my friend!" Ferric answered in joy. Time passed, the sunset further in the sky when Ferric ordered Goran to slow his pace. From there, the two crept slowly through the trees. Off in the distance, lights, and shadows danced over the brush. From their standpoint, they could see Mara and a man in conversation.  "General Ganges. He's in charge. And Mara's father." Ferric announced softly, taking Roman's memories.  "What's the matter, boy? You didn't know about your friend over there?" Mocking him, knowing the poor boy could see everything but was powerless to do anything.  "She is one of us. An Aylyte! A Royal Aylyte." Ferric whispered. "And she must die!" Goran chimed in. They shared an evil laugh and observed  what was unfolding, only making out some of the conversations between Mara and her father. Moments passed before they could see the general pull something out of his pocket. It was a breathtaking gold bracelet that shimmered off of the setting sun.     "What is that?" Goran asked. Ferric squinted to catch a better look, but it was small, and he was far away. Watching the man plead to Mara, she was reluctant but took the gold jewelry into her elegant clawed hands.  "I don't know."  They could see Mara pace back and forth, ordering the man to do something. Only after he agreed did Mara place the bracelet on her left wrist. In seconds, she was on her knees, her Aylyte form changing instantly. Her wings shrunk down to nothing. Her skin became a beautiful tan. Her wounds seemed to melt away. Ferric watched the man race to her side and lift her, covering her in his jacket. He watched them get into a large black truck before they backed down the driveway. Ferric wasted no time and sprinted for the pair. His human form smashing off of the trees and bushes, tearing more flesh off Roman.  "No!" He shouted. Breaking through the tree line onto the road, he watched the truck holding his enemy disappear out of view. Goran was only steps behind Ferric.  "What do we do now, my lord."    Ferric placed his hands on his head and thought. Skipping through Roman's mind, his eyes grew three sizes larger. He knew how to bring Mara to them. He looked down the long road, hanging just above the trees was the top of the hospital building that was holding Dot. He looked at Goran and clapped his hands together cheerfully.  "Is the amulet safe?" He asked. Goran reached into his bag and pulled out the glimmering gold disk, showing off its beauty.  "Fantastic," Ferric said wistfully, walking down the street whistling a happy tune. Goran stood perplexed, watching the body of Roman walk down the road.  "Where are you going, Ferric?"  He turned to Goran with what looked like glee on his face and pointed to the hospital building standing tall behind him.    "I'm going for a visit."  CHAPTER 14 Mara waited and watched from behind her home, as the sun was nearly gone in the sky. Not knowing if she should be trusting her father, but after her church hideout and helping Annie, Mara figured she was in the clear. Scanning back and forth, she covered every inch of her property, looking for anything suspicious. An enormous black truck sat in the driveway. It was the largest SUV Mara had ever seen. Believing it was actually a tank, she focused on the vehicle door while it slowly swung open. Stepping out was her father, in his crisp blue service uniform, the medals decorating his chest twinkled in the setting sun. "He's been waiting." She thought, watching him place his cap onto his head and walked to the middle of the front yard where the old white oak tree once stood — a memory left by a dirt mound now. Mara tore through the tree limbs and took a hellish leap flying into the air. Below the town's line of sight, she stayed but high enough to land her on the peak of her roof, slamming down on the shingles. Mara spread her wings out like a wild phoenix rising out of the ashes and released a ferocious roar. Her father watched from the yard, amazement taking over his expression. Glaring the man from the top of the house, she crept along the roofline, waiting for him to speak.  "Mara. Sweetheart. I know you have a million things running through your mind, but…" He paused. What was he really supposed to say? He wiped his brow, pulling his cap from his head and squeezing it in his hand and began to find the words again.  "We love you. Your mother and I." The lump in his throat grew. "She's ok by the way. I know you haven't had the chance to figure anything out, but she's safe."  Mara smiled and sighed in relief, knowing the woman she thought as her mother was safe. It hurt her more knowing Dot was in the hospital because of her. Pushing forcefully off of the roof, Mara soared in the air and enjoyed the freedom that flight could bring, landing hard in front of her father. He was a tall man, standing over 6'1", but even Mara's new frame towered over him. She stayed silent and waited while the general looked over her.  "I haven't seen you this way in a long time. You've grown." He tried to break the tension. Mara had no time for his games, Roman was in danger, and she needed some help.  "Start talking." She ordered. Her father let out a small laugh, knowing anything he said wouldn't help soothe his daughter now.  "You were such a beautiful baby when I found you."  "What!" Mara howled in anger.  "Right over there." Pointing over his shoulder, Mara's eyes following. "Where?" "The highway, sweetie." He smiled again, thinking about that day. Mara paced back and forth. Her news just kept getting better.  "Where's Annie?"  "Safe. She made it to the hospital. You saved her life, Mara."  Tears filled Mara's eyes, it had been a long day, and it seemed like everything began to cloud her thoughts. Her father stepped towards her extending his hand. She looked down in disbelief that he would want to protect her.    "Where are your guards? I know they're looking for me."  "They are, but I sent them on a goose chase. Did you find our little thing?" He winked. "The church is always a safe haven," Mara repeated her father's words. Her breathing was sharp and shallow. He knew she was stopping herself from crying anymore.  "How did you know?" She asked, curious, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "I didn't know how, or when, but I knew something would happen eventually. Your mother and I set the church up for you and kept it a secret. She would sneak there once a week to clean it."  Mara fought hard but lost control; everything was crashing into her now just now standing with her father learning of her past. Falling to her knees, the general held her in his arms. Even as an Aylyte, she was still his baby. He kissed the top of her hand and promised her it would be ok. Taking his daughter's face in his hands, he pulled her closer and placed his forehead to hers. Mara held on to her father tightly. Her mother had done the same thing to Mara her entire life. A voiceless way to say I love you. She collapsed completely now, her father still holding her, rocking her in his arms.  "What is going on?" She sniffled out.  He tightened his grip on her and huffed, tossing his hat to the ground to free his other hand. Mara pulled back, shocked that her father had done that. She had never seen a single piece of his uniform out of line, let alone tossing it willingly to the ground.  "It would be much easier to show you." Mara pushed herself up off of the ground, her wings nearly knocking her dad over.  "What do you mean you haven't seen me like this in a long time?"  The general watched his daughter get back to her feet and pace around the yard, still getting used to her form. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out Mara's gold bracelet. Mara's eyes lit up like fireworks when she saw what her father was holding. "Is that my..."  Mara was at a loss for words. The weight of the world seemed to lift off of her shoulders. She hadn't seen her bracelet since the attack on her mom. Wondering if it was the answer to all her problems, she lost her breath.   "Mara, I know you probably want to tear me apart." Her father's words seemed harsh in her ears. "You probably want too, and I know you have the right, but let me try and explain all of this to you."  Mara's face fell blank. She didn't know if she was coming or going anymore. The magnificent piece of jewelry still captivated her eye. It was like a piece of her. "My bracelet." Whispering and walking over to her father, seeing the worry in his eyes.  "When I found you, this thing was a lot smaller." He smiled.  "What do you mean?" "It grows with you, sweetie." He stated.  Then it hit Mara, he was right. Her entire life it had never come off. It never became loose, and she never lost it until the day of the attacks. Even smashing it onto concrete or furniture, the bracelet never chipped or faded.  "Your mom was giving you a bath one day and somehow slipped it off your wrist. You were in your sink tubby in the kitchen." Mara was stunned.  "So the story of it being my great grandmothers…?" "All fabricated, Mara." Her dad answered. "What happened?" She asked. "Your mom didn't make a sound the first time you changed. She showed me and bragged how beautiful you were even in your Aylyte form. You are beautiful, no matter what you are, Mara."  Looking down at her lavender-colored skin, it was a breathtaking color.  "We figured out every step along the way as we grew with you." A long silence took over the conversation, but the general could see the fear growing in Mara's eyes. Looking down at the grass like a shy child, he laughed to himself. "What?" Mara asked, slightly annoyed. "Your wings were so tiny and cute, and now…wow!" He Was still taking in the size difference. "I will give you all the answers I have, Mara, but before I do, I need you to put this back on." Holding out her bracelet. "What happens when I do?"  "You turn back into your old self." Her father said wearily.  "Why do you sound worried?"      "You haven't had this off in almost sixteen years. I don't know what will happen to be honest."  This shook Mara's core, what if she couldn't go back? What if she were stuck like this forever? Extending her hand, the general placed the piece in her palm, she looked up into the darkening sky, curious to know if she would ever see it as a human again. Breathing in the cool summer night air, it refreshed Mara and cleared her mind.  "It's broken?" Mara looked at the jewelry, the bottom bead was smashed. "How does it close?" "Don't worry, Mara; it'll grow back."  Her dad's words confused her more. Knowing they didn't have much time and needing to see what her father needed to show her, Mara slapped the bracelet to her left wrist. Instantly, the small bead at the bottom grew back, sealing the beautiful piece to Mara. Her chest tightened and burned, her muscles began to cramp, it felt like knives were slicing her skin. Her father watched in agony not knowing what he could do for her. Mara fell to the ground hard, gasping for air, it felt like what she went through with Annie. Her wings disappeared into her back, like they never existed at all. Mara's lavender color faded as her beautiful tan skin took over. The deep wounds that covered her body seemed to melt away, with barely a sign of them. Her tattered clothes hung loosely from her shoulders, her father stepping to her side and covering her with his coat.  "Honey, are you ok?" His daughters moans of distress pained him in a way he had never felt before.  "Talk to me, sweetie." The man was frantic. He had never seen anything like this before and was at a loss for words. Mara clung her father's arm, gasping deeply.  "That…that was painful." She whimpered.  "I'm sorry Mara, I didn't know what was going to happen." He held her in a tight hug.  "Show me…"  "What?" He asked, confused.  "Show me what you need to show me," Mara ordered, her words breaking as she shivered in the July heat. Her dad helped her to stand slowly, Mara held on while she got her bearings back.  "Been a few days since I used these feet." The pair shared a healthy laugh, even with everything going on.  "Come on, Mara. We have so much to cover." Walking over to the massive truck sitting in the driveway, it was even bigger standing next to it.  "What the hell is this thing? A tank?"  "Well, Mara. The official name of this beast is KVS-226. But the people at the office like to call her "Cupcake." Chuckling while explaining it to Mara. She gazed up at her father; he was taller than her now and laughed.  "Sweet."  The general helped his daughter into the truck, the plush leather seats felt like a pillow made of clouds to Mara and her aching body. Climbing into the driver's side, the man tossed a book bag at Mara.  "You might want to change." Pushing a button on the center console, a large black privacy partition split the truck in half. Mara was alone in the passenger's seat. Her father's voice came over a speaker.  "Knock when you're ready, kiddo."  Looking in the bag, Mara found a pair of sweatpants, new undies and a black t-shirt, deodorant, spray shampoo, a bottle of water, and a Pepsi and a few bags of AirHeads Bites, and her favorite pair of slides. Her excitement peaked, pulling out her phone that she hadn't seen in days. Mara pursed her lips trying to keep herself from crying again.  "The church, Annie, and now this?" Her mind was in overdrive. Even if the general wasn't her father, Mara knew he loved her. Taking a sip from the cold soda, cherishing the flavor. Wiggling in her plush seat and shoving the phone in her pocket, she took another sip of soda. "Thanks, dad." CHAPTER 15 Ferric and Goran admired the outside of the magnificent hospital. It stood out like an eyesore in the mountainous terrain, but it was a stunning building. The duo hid behind a mound of decorative rocks, scouting the area from the property edge. No one could see them now that the sun had finally set. They could see patients, doctors, staff coming, and going in the front doors.  "Funny, the boy says only members of this kingdom can use this place."  "Are you sure about this, Ferric?" Goran seemed to be getting cold feet.  "Goran. We've stormed castles bigger than this with arrows raining down on us from above. This?" Pointing to the hospital. "This is nothing." Reassuring his friend. "What is the plan?" Ferric leaned against the rock they were hiding behind and closed his eyes. Never having possessed a human, it took more concentration to get the memories he needed.  "Stop trying to fight me, boy! You will never win." Ferric loved to taunt Roman.  His left hand began to quiver and shake violently. The spasms kept getting worse. With a hard thrust, Roman's arm came up fast and connected with his own face.  "What are you…?" Ferric tried to argue with the trapped Roman. Another hard left hand came up and connected again; Roman's nose began to bleed.  "Ferric! What is wrong?" Goran held back his scream. Watching more fists come up and slam into Roman's face. The boy's sickly demeanor now sported a black eye and a bloody nose. After a minute, the hits stopped, and the body of Roman sat completely still. Goran shook the boy, trying to get anything out of him.  "Ferric? Ferric, are you well, or has the boy won?" Roman's eyes began to blink quickly. They were dry from the long blank stare.  "Don't you ever assume one of these things could ever defeat me. Or I will end your days, Goran." Ferric said through Roman's gritted teeth.  "Try it, and I'll snap your pathetic little neck Ferric. Your face tells a different story about who's in charge." The two Aylytes growled at one another, already tired of each other's company.  "Enough of this! We have work to do! Mara's mother is on the third floor, Room 302." Ferric chimed out. Still fighting to keep his left hand at his side. Goran took notice, silently laughing at him. "What happened?" "I don't want to discuss this. We need to get in there!" Ferric shouted. Goran grew tired of his commander's attitude, knowing he could fight him in Roman's form and win, he gripped the boy by his neck and squeezed.  "What. Happened." Goran demanded. Choking the air out of Ferric, he clawed at Goran's huge hands.  "He…he is…stronger than…I thought…" Satisfied with the answer, Goran dropped Ferric to the ground watching him struggle for air.  "I'll kill you for that!" He threatened. Goran laughed at him and his empty words. "No, you won't. You couldn't make it without me." Helping his commander back to his feet. Ferric dusted off the dirt from his clothes and looked at his friend.  "Now, what is the plan?" Goran asked. Ferric thought a moment and looked up to the third floor and pointed "There, the boy's thoughts tell me that is the room." "How will we get to her?" Goran asked, confused. "Simple. I'll just walk in."  "We can't just walk out with her, Ferric." "You just watch for my signal." He grinned.      Ferric made his way to the front doors, shocking him when they opened automatically. "Strange." He thought. Walking into the bright building, it was nearly empty, making his way to the steps trying not to be seen. Jumping up the stairs two at a time, he was on the third floor in no time. Looking out of the small window in the door, the sign on the wall pointed to the left for the room he needed. Seeing no one, he stepped through the door quietly and darted down the hall, only to run into one of the floor nurses heading down to the cafeteria. She grabbed onto the boy and apologized greatly.  "Roman! What are you doing here?" Asking curiously. A pretty girl, brown hair with matching eyes, and much shorter than Roman. A look of worry grew across her face seeing the boys dirty clothes and bloody face.  "What happened?"  "I, ugh, I got into a fight." Ferric thought of the first lie that popped into his head. "Do you need a doctor?" "No, no. I was hoping to see Dot." Ferric scanned Roman's thoughts to trigger tears, and it worked like a charm. Knowing this was the only way to get Mara to come to him, he needed to succeed. "Roman, orders are no one is allowed to visit. Your father's orders."  Ferric forced tears again and fell into the nurse gripping her in a tight embrace. Hating the smell of her, he had to stop himself from gagging. She began to feel terrible for the boy. He wouldn't say who he got into a fight with.  "Roman, I could get fired for this, but you have a few minutes. Ok? No one can know."  "Thank you. Thank you so much." Ferric pleaded while the nurse grabbed his arm and pulled him to Dot's door, knocking softly. Poking her head in, Ferric could hear the two women speak moment.  "A few minutes, Ro." The bubbly nurse reminded him again. Pushing the door open for him, Ferric stepped inside and watched the nurse close the door behind him. Across the room, he could see a beautiful blonde woman, sharp blue eyes that seemed to pierce through him. Dot's hair up in a messy ponytail and a blanket hanging over the side of the bed, she was wearing bright red socks that Ferric found comical.  "Hi, Roman! It's so good to see you!"  Dot was joyous she had a visitor. The boy said nothing, he walked toward her awkwardly, studying her from head to toe.  "Roman, what happened, sweetheart?" Ferric stayed silent, slowly inching closer to his target. Dot began to worry, sitting up in her bed, she offered Roman a seat at her side.  "Are you ok? Was this your father again?" Dot noticed a strange smile on Roman's face. Ferric was laughing that this wasn't the first time the boy's father abused him. Her motherly instincts grew inside of her, watching the way he walked and his facial expressions, she knew something wasn't right about him. Grabbing her I.V. pole, Dot scooted herself to the edge and stood up, still shaky from her surgery.  "Roman, I need you to talk to me, sweetie. Who did this?" Ferric watched the frail women make her way to him, grabbing his arm, her hands were cold. "Roman. Please."  "Don't touch me!" Roman roared. Startling Dot, grabbing her I.V. pole and stepping back from him.  "Excuse me? Roman, what is going on?" "Where is Mara?" He ordered. A confused look came over Dot's face.  "I…I don't know. Home, maybe?"  "Do I look stupid to you, woman?" Roman stepped to Dot angrily.  "Roman, stop." Stepping back, almost tripping over her own feet. Ferric grabbed Dot by her hospital gown and pulled her closer to his face.  "Where is Mara?" He asked again. Dot shoved back never seeing him act this way. "I wouldn't do that again, lady."  "Roman, stay away from me." Dot threatened, holding her stomach in pain. Making her way back to her bed, she grabbed the call button and tried to press it for help. Ferric was quick and yanked it from her bruised hand.  "I will ask you one more time. Where is Mara?" He snarled.  Now pinned against the wall by an angry Roman, Dot tried again to defuse the situation.  "Roman…" "My name is Ferric!" The voice that came from Roman wasn't his normal, but a hardened and harsh one.  "I am here to kill Mara, and no one will stop me!" His movements were erratic, grabbing Dot by her gown and tossing her to the floor.  "Now, where is Mara!" Screaming at the injured woman.  Dot tried to slide across the floor away from Roman, as he closed in she kicked him square in his crotch. The cheap shot stopped Ferric in his tracks. Getting to her feet, Dot rushed to the large wall-sized window trying to get help. Throwing open the maroon curtains, she was met with a horrible sight. Letting out a loud scream, Dot was face to face with Goran, hanging off the side of the hospital. Watching him sink his powerful claws into the thick glass, Ferric rushed behind Dot and covered her mouth and held her from getting away. Watching helplessly as the gigantic Goran tore the huge window from its frame, a gush of summer wind filled the room, blowing over anything that wasn't nailed down. Goran stepped into the room, leaving large holes in the walls where his claws had sunk into it. His wings didn't fit into the room, knocking the tiles out of the ceiling as he walked, the animal skin bag still hung from his shoulders; he would protect them with is life.  "These things smell horrible, Ferric," Goran announced. "Has she given us anything?" "No. But that was to be expected." He laughed.  "Well then, we won't need her awake will we," Goran spoke, bringing his hand back and slapping Dot across her face, knocking the poor woman out cold. She went limp in Ferric's hands, dropping her to the ground with no remorse.  "What do we do now?"  "Pick her up. We need to make our way to the gateway."   "What?" Goran whispered. "Do you want to find this Royal or not?"  Ferric pointed to Dot's body and watched Goran snatch her up with ease. Turning to the window, more tiles fell from the ceiling. The gigantic Aylyte reached the edge and looked out, the gateway was on the abandoned highway across town, it would be tricky to get there by flight, but it was doable. Ferric raced to the door and peered out of the window, no one was to be seen.  "Are you ready, my friend?" He asked of Goran, climbing onto his back and holding on tight.  "Won't they be looking for her?"  "We have her, and soon, Mara will be coming to us."  Goran leaped from the hospital window, falling a few feet before he used his powerful wings to pick up air. Grazing the tops of the trees, he held Dot tightly in his arms.  "Remember to stay hidden!" Ferric screamed into Goran's ear.  The pair could see the town of Perri glow in the night, and just beyond that, the darkened and forgotten highway stood alone. Their time in the sky seems to drag on while Goran swooped down and began to circle the long stretch of road, using only the light of the moon to try and land. With poor sight, he slammed into the highway with great force, tossing Ferric off of his back and sending Dot's body skidding across the painted asphalt, shredding more her once-perfect skin, landing near a huge hole in the road.  "What was that you fool!" Ferric shouted angrily. "Hard to see with no light, Ferric!"  The highway empty, usually a Mecca for teenage parties, the forgotten roadway was quiet and still. Ferric knew he and Mara hung out here all of the time. It was a favorite place for both of them. "May I have the amulet, my friend?"  Ferric asked extending his hand out, his eyes locked on the large crack that dominated the highway. The people of Perri knew it was a steam vent for the mine fires. Measuring over forty feet long and eight feet wide, flashbacks of their ordeal to get out of their world and into ours flooded Ferric's mind.  Losing his love and his child, taking revenge on their king and the pain of the intense heat of the gateways. The lives he ended during his quest to be free were of no importance to him, Ferric would kill anyone in his way. Goran threw the bag into his commander's hands, Ferric reached in and pulled out the gold disk, admiring its absolute beauty. The amulet had a large stone in its center surrounded by five small but highly detailed knives etched into the gold, it resembled throwing stars stacked on top of one another. Each section spun freely while the gem sparkled in the moonlight. With each simple turn of the amulet, the gateway at Ferric's feet began to smoke and glow. Brighter and brighter with each passing second, flames began to shoot wildly into the air. The incredible heat that escaped the gateway seared Dot's flesh, causing her to whimper in pain. Ferric pulled the phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture of her suffering by the fire, sending it to the number saved under Mara. Smiling as he watched the message go through, he tossed the phone into the fires. Goran watched with curiosity, "What are you doing, Ferric?" "Inviting our guest to the party."  CHAPTER 16 Mara's attention was on the phone in her hand. Not seeing it in a few days, all of her missed messages were from Annie or Roman. She smiled at the love she received from both of them when she disappeared. The messages all started and seemed to end the same way. Ranging from  "What time do you want to meet up?" The day of her transformation, right down to the last message reading,  "What the f**k happened to your house!" Mara put the phone in her back pocket and relaxed into the plush seat. She had changed and tried to smell as good as she could before knocking on the partition between her and her dad. It slid down and disappeared into the truck.  "Feel better, kiddo?"  "I feel human again." Mara laughed wildly at the joke she inadvertently made, her father laughed along with her. Gazing out of the window, she noticed the lights in town fading into the distance.  "Where are we going?"  "Ka-razy." Her father joked before getting serious. A stern look washed across his face.  "Everything will be easier to show you. Where only going right outside of town here, a few miles up the road."  Mara frowned and focused back on the town getting further out of sight in the side mirror. Off in the distance, the shimmer of a chain link fence appeared in the headlights, along with a bright sign that read ‘ROAD CLOSED’ that hung on the gate. The General didn't slow down, and Mara braced for impact.  "Dad!" She squealed, squinting and locking her body. "Dad!" Letting out a terrified scream, Mara waited for the truck to smash through the gate, but it never happened. Opening her eyes to see her father giving her an odd glance.  "You ok?" He asked, worriedly. "The gate. The sign said it was closed." Mara gasped.  "Yea, closed to civilian traffic, not military." Pointing to the garage door style button on the console. Mara's eyes widened in embarrassment. She didn't know what to say. The road they traveled was small but paved. The giant tank they were in barely fit across the lane.  "Mara, I know this is all crazy, but do you know the history of our town?" Giving her dad an odd look, she shrugged with her hands up. "Yea, I guess?"  "Tell me." He said. "Tell you about the fires?" "Yes." Not knowing what any of this had to do with her, she did what was asked.  "It's not a big deal. Back in the '90s, a miner threw a cigar in a coal vein, and it started a fire. They couldn't stop it, so the Army came in and closed the highway and the town." General Ganges gave a half nod in agreement.  "What does this have to do with me?"  "Well, first off. The fires happened in the '80s, not the '90s."  "Ok?" Rolling her eyes.  "August 9, 1982, an earthquake hit Perri. Parts of New York and Ohio felt small tremors, but Perri took the majority of the hit. This thing was powerful, Mara. It destroyed more than half the town. It devastated the highway, which would end up costing millions to reroute." Still confused, Mara finally spoke.  "So, no mine fires?"  A wide-tooth smiled cracked across the General's face. "No, sweetheart. That was a story we fabricated to cover up what was really going on." "And what was really going on?"  "We call it DH-982."  "What is it?"  "It's a gateway to a place called Torrid." Pausing as he braced himself for his next words. "Your real home." Mara's eyes were wider than before, furrowing her forehead; she shook her head in disbelief.  "What do you mean my real home?" "Come on, sweetie, you've seen yourself and what you can do. You saved your mother's life fighting those things."  Mara looked forward, keeping an eye on the passing trees while the traveled higher into the mountains. Up ahead, they could see a stunning solid gate blocking the road. It reached fifteen feet in the air and stretched for as far as Mara could see. Strange symbols dotted the entire fence that resembled five pillars, the center one standing the tallest with an orb floating overhead with the other four leaning into it.  "You're not human, my dear sweet Mara. You are known as an Aylyte." Mara focused on the gate stopping the truck. A single tear fell from each eye. "Is this real?" "Unfortunately, kiddo, it is."  "Than how did you and mom…" Mara paused, thinking about Dot. The woman who taught her to bake, to sing, even to put on makeup, wasn't even her real mom but loved her unconditionally.  "How did you and mom get me?" "It'll be 16 years ago next week. The old highway was closed off before your friends decided to make it a hangout. It was a warm July morning when I was out jogging, I had just passed the crack when I heard the unmistakable sound of a cranky little girl."  "You found me in the crack on the highway!" Mara screamed.  "Yes, and you were gorgeous. Wrapped up in a shredded black cloth. Your eyes were magnificent, I knew right then and there I loved you. I picked you up, and you immediately clung onto me like I was the first person you had ever seen. I talked to you the whole way back to the truck, and all you did was laugh. You never cried for me again after that. Well, until all of this happened." Mara's eyes were red with tears.  "The crack was still over 200 degrees when I found you, so I took you home to your mother. I never saw her cry tears of joy like that day. Your mother loves you very much Mara, and she would give anything to protect you. She did that on the day of the attacks, and I know she would do it all over again if she needed too." Mara closed her eyes tight trying to control her emotions. "Once I got you home, we called Dr. Brocious. He was at the house less than fifteen minutes later." A light went off in Mara's mind.  "Does he know what I am?" Her father shook his head yes. "Is that why he's been the only doctor I've ever seen?"  "You're learning. You were in perfect health. Not a scratch on you, not a burn, not a hair out of place." Mara smiled; it felt like she hadn't done so in days.  "But…" The general began.  "There’s always a but, huh?"   "But, you were an abandoned newborn, found in a steaming crater on a military base, with not a thing wrong with you."  Before another word was uttered, they were interrupted by a loud banging on the driver's side window that startled Mara. The general rolled his window down and was met with a masked guard. The voice sounded robotic coming out of the speaker built on the side. Mara leaned forward and stole a long look at whoever was behind the mask.  "Good evening, general. It's been some time since you've used this entrance."  "Well, recent events have forced my hand." He replied confidently. While they talked, Mara watched another group of masked guards circling the truck. Long-handled mirrors searching under the vehicle, beautiful German Shepherds walked with almost every soldier. The closer the dogs got to Mara's door, she could hear low growls coming from the trained animals.  "Alert Colonel Fief for me, will you?" "Yes, sir. All clear, general." The guard stated. Stepping back while the huge gate began to open, inside, Mara could see bright lights, more guards, and a single door that looked built into the mountain. The truck pulled in slowly. It was agonizing to Mara, who just wanted to get inside.  "Now, Mara. I don't think I need to tell you that what you see here is very hush-hush."   Her father gave her a stern look, but she was too busy looking through the windshield at the craziness that was now her life. "Yea, I'm starting to get that." She answered back. The airplane sized doors were opened from the outside by another guard who helped Mara out of the tall vehicle.  "Thank you." The teen was absolutely stunned at the sheer size of the area she was in, almost fearful that they all knew who she really was.  "Come on, sweetie. We need to hurry." General Ganges extended his hand towards the single door in the mountain. Walking across the courtyard, Mara could sense the dogs on edge. They began to howl and snap at her, each handler held on tightly to each dog but one broke loose. Making a dash at Mara, her father tried to step in the animal's way, but she held her dad back. Foaming from its mouth, the dog gained speed while keeping Mara in its sights. She stood her ground. The huge German Shepard was only yards from her. Remembering what she had done to the deer on the trail, she could only think of what she could do to a ninety-pound dog. Mara locked eyes with the snarling pup, just before it lifted its paws to rip her throat out, she spoke.  "Heel." It was a powerful voice, not her own.  The German Shepherd came to an immediate stop, skidding across the gravel under its paws, before sitting at Mara's feet. The courtyard was silent, the dogs all sat, and everyone looked at her in shock. General Ganges rushed over to her and took her by the shoulders.  "Come on, Mara." He led her to the door, already opened with Colonel Fief waiting for them inside.  "General." The man extended his hand to shake. "Mara, I'm glad to see you safe." Leaning in and giving her a tight hug. A decent-sized electric cart was waiting for them, all black with no roof or protective glass.  "Well, let's get to it, it's a bit of a drive." Mara still thought this was all a dream, and what she was witnessing was just her brain messing with her. Behind the door was a massive tunnel, so large it could easily fit five tractor-trailers side by side and seemed to be as high as a goal post. The three climbed onto the cart and began their descent into the mountain. The two officers took the front seats, Fief drove, and Mara sat in the back.  "Dad?" Mara had a worry in her voice. Her father turned from his seat to look at his daughter. "Yes, sweetie?" "Where are we going?" He tried to calm her, remembering her childhood from the day she was found.  "It's called The Control Room. I know, boring name, but what do you expect?" He chuckled.  After almost fifteen minutes of driving, they were greeted by another double steel door and another masked guard. The officers hopped out of the cart, the general taking Mara by the hand. He pulled her in for a side hug and kissed the top of her head. Colonel Fief smiled at them, knowing he and Roman had a strained relationship.  "Now, Mara. No one just gets in here." Colonel Fief stated. Swiping an I.D. card over a scanner, the heavy doors hissed open. Guiding Mara into the room, she couldn't believe the size of the NASA style control room that was before her. Hundreds of computer desks lined up like dominos for the hundreds of men and women working there, all wearing their spotless black uniforms. Standing in awe, Colonel Fief stepped in front of her and the general and screamed with a mighty tone. "GENERAL ON DECK!"  The room snapped to attention, and all focus was on Mara. She stood looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Scared and embarrassed that everyone was looking directly at her.   "Ugh…Hi."  CHAPTER 17 A thousand eyes were locked on Mara, even after General Ganges ordered them back to work. Almost instantly, the chatters began, with everything Mara now knew about herself, the hissing of people openly talking about her still made her feel insecure. "Who is that?" She saw a blonde man ask, his counterpart just shrugging their shoulders.  "How the hell did she get clearance?" Another man barked loudly, only to be shot down quickly by a fierce stare from Colonel Fief.  "I'll advise you all to get back to work without the comments." Fief's chest was puffed out; fist clenched like he was ready to fight. He was a hard ass, but he respected his commanding officer. General Ganges took Mara by the hand and led her down three shorts steps to the main floor. Hundreds of men and women chatting on phones, going over paperwork, looking at maps all flashing across an insane amount of screens that dotted every wall. Soil temperatures, water pressure reading, and cameras all over the town. Mara spotted the street she lived on in one of the monitors.  "Dad. What is that?" She pointed in the air, her father ignored her plea. He had his hand on her shoulder, with his other arm blocking anyone from getting in their way. Figuring he wasn't in the mood to talk, Mara took the hint. Looking off in the distance, she spotted a tall, lanky man peeking over one of the computer desks directly at her. She watched him pop up and disappear over and over, seemingly getting more nervous the closer she approached. Every time the man popped up, Mara would remember another detail about him. His salt and pepper hair, his dark green eyes, the fact his shirt was soaked through in the small amount of time she had been watching him.  "Dad." She asked again, he continued through the enormous room ignoring her and speaking to Colonel Fief. "Dad." This time and a little louder, still only to be ignored. Mara could feel herself getting angrier, being treated like she wasn't there, finally ripping herself away from her father and walking in the opposite direction toward the strange man. Her father and Colonel Fief stood shocked, along with the F.E.A. staff that had witnessed Mara's brashness.    "Mara. What are you doing? We don't have time." The general barked. Mara ignored his called, continuing to the man in the corner. She watched him try and gather a few things in hast.  "Mara. We need to go!" He called out, following her while she made her way down one of the endless rows of people working. The general watched his head of security, Sargent Glenn Peterson, dart away from his desk as if to run from Mara. "Peterson!" The man called, Fief returning the call a moment later. The scared man ignored the order and pushed his chair out from the desk, grabbing a small pile of files. Mara had caught up with him before he could escape, placing her hands on each of his shoulders and shoving him down into his chair with a powerful force. She said nothing but leaned in and began to sniff the man's neck. General Ganges and Colonel Fief caught up with her and watched half disgusted at what was going on. Peterson sat in the chair, his arms resting on his lap sweating through his standard black button-down. Sobbing uncontrollably, shaking like a leaf and quietly whispering to himself, Mara spun the man in the chair and locked eyes with him. A piercing howl came from Peterson as he slid off of his chair and knelt in front of Mara, pleading for his life. "Please! Please, your majesty! Spare me!"  The entire room froze, every eye that was looking at Mara now focused on the sobbing man at her feet. She stood like a statue, hovering over him, not saying a word. Her father and Fief didn't know what to do, but they needed to defuse the scene and quickly.  "Peterson, get up. What is going on?" The general ordered but Peterson and Mara were in their own world. She was looking down at him, studying him. He now was clawing at Mara's sweatpants, still trying to plead with her. "Please, your majesty, I'll go back. I'll go back. Just please let me live." He was broken, only waiting at Mara's feet for his death, it was haunting in its own way. Fief had enough, he slid past General Ganges and grabbed Peterson by his collar. "I need a containment crew now!"  Mara still stood watching the man, never uttering a word. Even hanging in Fief's grip, Peterson had no concern for anyone else but Mara. Still pleading and reaching out to her, trying to grab for her hand.  "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, your majesty." His words were silenced when a task force of six F.E.A. guards knocked him out cold and disappeared out of the room with him. Peterson was gone in a flash, and no one seemed to care.  "Back to work!" General Ganges ordered. "Mara?" Standing in front of her he waited till she snapped out of her trance. "Are you ok?" His daughter looked different, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something had changed in her. A blue ring was now formed around her black eyes, sticking out like a sore thumb. Shaking her head and turning back to continue down the aisle, Mara darted for Peterson. "Where are you going, Mara?" The general ordered. She again ignored him, giving him another taste of his own medicine. "Mara! Answer me, goddammit!" His words rang out like a bomb, again, all eyes were on Mara and now the general. No one knew what to do at this point. Even Colonel Fief was at a loss for words.  "Where are they taking him? Cause I'm going there!" Mara screamed, pointing at the door they dragged Peterson, though.  "You're not going anywhere, young lady!" His pace quickened to reach her. Mara was not having it, stepping away from her dad and lifting her left hand in the air, she threatened to smash her bracelet off of one of the desks, unleashing her Aylyte form in front of the entire room. The general froze in his tracks. Fief was stepping back, giving orders to a masked guard before seeing what was unfolding.  "Don't."  "Why? Why not, dad? Why shouldn't I?" Mara taunted her father. "Mara. Don't.  "Where are they taking him? I want to go. Now." She ordered. The general looked beaten, he wanted to show her what she was but not like this, but he knew what he had to do to keep her safe. "Ok." He said in defeat. "Ok?" Mara replied, shocked. "Yes. Ok. Right now. Let's go." Mara stood perplexed, actually stunned she had won and bluffed her way out of a standoff with her father.  "Really?"  "Really." The general stated. Looking back at Fief, the man's face looked like he had seen a ghost, and gave him a direct order. "Take us to The Mine, Colonel." Fief let out a giant huff and straightened his jacket, nodding and waving his hand in the direction they should go.  "Mara, are you sure?" General Ganges asked one last time.  "Yes."  The trio exited out a side door of the enormous control room in a long hallway. It went on for what seemed miles. Nothing decorated the walls, just simple grey paint, and a glossy polished tile floor. The two men walked ahead of Mara in silence. She could see sweat pooling in Fief's crewcut. Between the two, she could see what seemed to be a lobby as it widened at the end of the long hall. Turning the corner they were met with a large door and a masked F.E.A. guard, the general scanned his I.D. card and the door swung open. Mara passed the guard, watching them the entire time, studying the strange masks they wore. Past the door, the structure of the entire hall changed. It wasn't smooth walls and tile floors. It was now a rocky mountainside and a block paved walkway. The temperature dropped enough to give Mara a chill, but she paid no attention.  "Dad?" "Yes, Mara?" He answered while they walked down the path. "Who are those guards?" "They are some of the most dangerous soldiers the U.S. military has to offer." He began. "They are an elite, highly classified group known as F.E.A. Unit." Mara seemed intrigued.  "F.E.A.?" "Foreign Entity Acquisition Unit.” He answered, “They are the only branch of government that can deal with the Aylytes."  "What's with the masks?" "Protection. These things are dangerous, and we do everything in our power to keep these men and women safe." Stopping in front of another heavy steel door, Mara could hear what sounded like muffled screams. The general turned and smiled at his daughter, wrapping his arm around her.  "We are now 3,000 feet inside the mountain. It's the only place where we can keep the screams hidden from the town." A look of terror washed across Mara's face.  "Screams?" Asking fearfully.  "They never stop." Fief chimed in.  "Do you remember in the truck when we were talking about when I found you? Before we were interrupted." Mara nodded, her eyes glued to the heavy door in front of her. "My superiors weren't too keen on letting us raise you. But with some quick talking, we had permission to bring you home." Mara could see a twinkle in her dad's eyes as he spoke.  "What would have happened if you didn't get permission?" She started shaking at the thought. The general looked to Fief who put in a six-digit code into a keypad. The heavy door hissed as it opened. Mara's first thoughts of hearing muffled screams were right. Behind the door, she didn't know what she was seeing. The horrid screams of over two hundred imprisoned Aylytes pierced her ears. So loud that almost couldn't hear her father speak next.  "Well, sweetie. You would have ended up here." CHAPTER 18 Taken back by the sight in front of her, Mara paid no attention to the soldiers making their way to them. She watched in amazement at the live creatures that were locked in clear cells. They piled on top of one another, almost like the sides of the worn pyramids of Egypt. The lower levels, Mara could see the Aylytes were in more open, freeing cages. They had room to walk around and spread their wings. They looked healthy and almost somewhat happy. Their skin was beautiful colors, with no scarring or missing limbs. Arching her neck upward, she could see that each level got a little smaller. Finally, at the top were single cells holding horrible looking Aylytes. Each one bound to his or her own cell, they were sickly looking — skin like leather that had been through a wood chipper. Broken horns adorned their heads, and more than half of them were missing limbs or a wing. One of the bigger ones was missing both. Her kind was caged like animals, and it made her blood boil, but how could she get angry, after knowing what they could do to a human.  "General Ganges!"  A handsome man called out over the screams of the caged beasts. Mara shook her head and focused back on the approaching soldiers. Three in total, one good looking one, the other two had their faces covered with strange masks. "Major Gladii, not surprised to see you here."  The general joked with the young major who shook both the general and colonel's hands, and Mara took notice. He was gorgeous. Standing over six foot with short black hair and a muscular build, she knew he had no trouble with the ladies. His eyes were that of a dream, looking like a speckled starry night, she couldn't stop staring at him. "And you must be Mara." He said, looking directly at the girl. Blushing immediately and trying to hide her face, the general called her over to meet him.  "Mara. I'd like you to meet Major Jayce Gladii. F.E.A Special Operations and expert in the field of Aylytes." Nervously shaking his hand, trying not to turn a brighter shade of red. "You're a little cutie, ain't cha?" Gladii joked. The general gave him a fierce look. "What? Only a few years difference, general." The man laughed. Mara was shocked, she had never seen anyone toy around with her father with such ease.  "I take it you are here to see the new prisoner, sir?" "You are correct, major. Mara was insistent on meeting him." "He's down in holding, shall we?" Motioning towards the back of what seemed like an endless void behind him, two masked soldiers took the lead, making sure to keep everyone safe. The group followed closely, and Mara made sure to walk next to the major. Trying not to bite her lip while sneaking glances at him. She shivered, being so far in the mountain was colder than the summer day outside.  "Would you like my jacket, Mara?" Major Gladii offered.  "What? No, I…it's not…" She stumbled over her words for a few seconds before Fief chimed in.  "I think she's trying to say that she is fine, major." Her eyes widened again in embarrassment. Colonel Fief laughed at her innocence. Strange events unfolded; the further they traveled into the prison, the Aylytes screams became almost intolerable. Major Gladii and his escorts raised their weapons in protection.  "Major. What is going on?" Colonel Fief screamed over the terrible sound, trying to cover his ears. They all did, except for Mara. She seemed excited about it.  "No idea, sir. We've never seen this much activity before!"  The group walked faster, trying to get to the holding cell to meet up with Peterson. Each Aylytes responded to Mara differently. The ones in the lower sections bowed or kneeled, lowering their heads as she got closer.  "Your majesty." They would say with pride in their voices.  "We have been waiting!" Others would chant.  "Has the war ended? Are we free to return!"  It seemed like a million questions were being shouted at her at once, but Mara had no answers. Not all the creatures were excited to see her. The prisoners on the top tiers weren't as friendly. They pounded on the thick glass, cursing and spitting at her. Mara walked and watched, feeling like she could sense each Aylyte in the room. "Look what we have here, another Royal to turn their back on us!"   A scarred beast rang out, followed by more endless screams from the others. The faster the group walked, the quicker the taunts rained down on Mara.  "Why are you hiding, princess?" A wingless beast shouted, smashing his fist so hard into the glass Gladii could see it begin to crack. He called someone on his radio, and Mara watched the beast suffer a powerful electric shock. It fell limp to its side, slumping over in its cell completely disabled.   "Major," Mara asked loudly.  "Just Jayce." He winked.  "Who do they think I am?" "I honestly have no clue, Mara. Which bothers me cause I'm pretty good with this stuff." More and more taunts and threats came from the top tier. Yet the bottom Aylytes seemed loyal to Mara.  "I take it the worst are on top?" She asked.  "Correct." The general answered. "How much further, Major?"  "Right up here, general."  They came to a small alcove in the cells about halfway through the prison. Mara could barely think straight with how loud the place was. Small bits of rock fell from the cavern walls from the constant vibrations. She was getting tired of the threats too, wondering how all of her kind ended up here. She waited till she could hear herself think. "How many can this place hold?" "1,000." Answered Major Gladii. "Why are only some of the cells filled?" "Just haven't found the others yet."  Giving Mara a pursed-lip stare. The group had stopped, a standard size steel door lay in front of them. Major Gladii stepped up and looked through the small window in the door. He could see Peterson chained to the wall like a wild animal. Mara pushed him out of the way and was disgusted by his treatment. Watching his eyes, his body language and the sweat pouring down his face, his arms were in thick cuffs with chains that stretched to the floor. He was standing but his feet were locked in some sort of device that kept him from running. A cage with small slits covered his face, blocking his mouth if he decided to bite at one of the guards. He frantically found Mara's gaze through the small openings from the device that surrounded his head. Mara knew what he was trying to do, and for the first time in days, she felt safe, feeling like she could trust someone. Her father watched, holding his ears from the noise of the other Aylytes.  "Die, you little b***h!"  A scarred beast shouted. She was tired of their voices and wanted to talk to Peterson without being interrupted. Her father walked behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.  "You've seen him, now can we go?" He asked hastily. This bothered Mara, feeling like she had some sort of connection with the man locked in the room. Taking in a deep breath, Mara's voice was god-like when she finally screamed. "SILENCE!"  The floor rumbled under everyone's feet, and the caged beasts did do just that, they fell silent to their Royal. Her father exchanged looks with Fief and Gladii over what had just happened. The major watched first hand the power that she held. Mara looked back through the small window in the door, Peterson seemed calm with a smile on his face.  "Your majesty." He said softly. Mara watched him, feeling the pain and discomfort he was in, she demanded the door be opened. No one said a thing. They were in awe, watching Mara.  "Open the door." She ordered. "Mara, I don't think that's a good idea right now." General Ganges said, talking in a normal tone, the beasts were still quiet.  "Open the door." She ordered again, and her father fought her once more. Tired of the bullshit, she gave all of the men a frightening glare.  "I'm not asking. I'm telling you to open this door."   Everyone was stunned at the teenage girl giving orders to a four-star general. Major Gladii stepped toward his commanding officers and spoke in a low tone. Mara paid them no attention. She never took her eyes off of the imprisoned man. After a few minutes, the major interrupted her.  "Mara?"  The Aylytes were beginning to get wild again, pounding on their glass cells started thumping like a bass drum.  "I can open the door if you step back."  Mara looked at the dreamboat of a man and wondered how someone so young held such an important position in the army. That was the least offer concern. She was happy to get into the room. She watched Gladii place his hand on a large keypad just off to the side of the door. The deadbolt locks clanked out of their locked position, and the door opened freely. Mara stepped inside, never breaking her look from Peterson, looking over the conditions he was forced to withstand. "I would kneel your majesty, but my current situation forbids it." Peterson's words were muffled by his head restraint. "Is this necessary?" Mara barked, pointing to his cuffs. "Yes, it is, Mara." The major answered. "You have no idea what these things are capable of." "Obviously, you don't know what I'm capable of either." The young man looked at Mara in amazement.  "Could Peterson and I be alone?"  "Absolutely not!" Her father shouted. "Mara. Anything we do, we do together. Ok?" She looked at him with love.  "Yea, I guess." Turning to hug him tightly, knowing that he would let his guard down for a split second, and that's all the time she needed. Giving her father one last tight embrace, she pulled away and shoved him with all the power she could muster up. He went flying through the threshold of the door and landed hard on his back.  "I'm sorry, dad!" Mara shouted, slamming the door shut, locking everyone out.  General Ganges thought nothing of himself as he jumped to his feet, racing to the door and began to slam his entire body into it.  "Mara!" He screamed, fear overtaking his voice. "Open this damn door, now!" He thrust his shoulder into the door again, fearing for his little girl's life. "General!" Major Gladii shouted to get his attention.  "The keypad!"  General Ganges eyes lit up as he had forgotten all about it in the terrifying moment. Slamming his hand down on the palm scanner, waiting for the door to open, he was shocked when the panel read Critical Error. He tried again, with the same results. He rested his head on the door, fear completely overtaking the man. "Mara…" He whispered. She had smashed the keypad from the inside and was alone with a monster. CHAPTER 19 Ferric stood alone on the near pitch-black highway. Laughing at the filth that littered the sides of the road, empty spray paint cans and an old couch frame laid torched and forgotten in the jumbled mess. With only the burning gateway, and the moonlighting the road, the light danced off the streets like glitter. Devoid of life at such a late hour, he didn’t mind; it was more time to clear his head. Sending Goran to the cave where they took refuge to gather the rest of the Aylytes for the battle that would soon begin.  Smiling at the thought of Dot barely clinging on to life only feet from him, he watched her half-conscious body twitch from the heat of the flames. Pacing back and forth, thinking about the day he knew he despised his Royals, whispering under his breath the name of his one true mate, the one who carried his child. “Lyllie.”  Ferric allowed a single tear to fall down Roman’s cheek, wiping it away quickly. He closed his eyes and remembered the day she was murdered in cold blood.  A joyous occasion, the summer harvest had brought enough food for the kingdom that they celebrated with wine and parades. The streets were alive in the Kunai Kingdom, colored papers and ribbons littered the stone streets and filled the air. Ferric and Goran were walking beside their Royal, King Treznor. A massive double-winged Aylyte, his gold chest plate, and crown shimmered in the Torrid sun while his subjects cheered and reached for him. Each building in the kingdom was decorated for the occasion, the swooping roofs of the Royal castle were a wondrous sight to see out in the distance. They resembled the old Japanese style of architecture. Ferric and Goran let their pride shine bright that day, knowing the kingdom was secure for the upcoming months ahead. Looking up the street, Ferric could see his beloved Lyllie, waiting to catch a glimpse of him. Knowing their love was forbidden, they knew they couldn’t celebrate together, but he could see her smile from blocks away. Her belly grew but was hidden behind a flowing cloak she used to hide their baby. She smiled with love when she could see Ferric approaching, waving joyously in the air to grab his attention. The crowds began to become wild. The drink had been poured heavily that day, causing many Aylytes to spill into the king’s way.  Ferric clenched his teeth and fists on the highway, still seeing the sword impaled into Lyllie’s stomach, his child dead inside and his king being the murderer, laughing at her as she fell. Goran had to tear Ferric from her body so that they could protect King Treznor. He could still hear the screams of her pain, rushed away from her body. He was able to do nothing. With his sword drawn, he could have killed his king right then and there, but he was smart. He waited for the right moment, the right time to plan his revenge. “My lord?”  A harsh voice came from behind Ferric. He welcomed his old friend Goran. Happy to hear him because he was beginning to hate being trapped in his own head, that was trapped in Roman’s. “Goran, how are the others?”  Turning to him, his face dropping in shock once the moonlight lit Goran’s hands. The dead body of Aladon laid limp in his arms, her hands falling freely to her side as he walked.  “What happened?” Goran looked down in sadness. “I don’t think the Royal liked what you did to her friends,” Goran answered quietly. Ferric looked at the body of his old friend with a broken heart. He closed his eyes tight and tried to keep his anger at bay.  “Even with your new form, I can read you like a book, Ferric,” Goran announced, knowing his friend better than himself. “You still pain over Lyllie, don’t you?”  “With every passing day.” Ferric’s words seemed broken, keeping his true emotions hidden.  This world will be built in her honor!” He shouted, pounding his chest. “Where are the others, my friend?” “Gone, I wasn’t able to find them. The Royal tore the place apart.” Ferric’s left arm began to shake violently, getting it under control using his right hand. “Stop it, boy!” He ordered.  “Still?” Goran questioned. “He hasn’t stopped.” Ferric was in a rage, expelling a ferocious roar that poured from Roman’s mouth. Goran gently laid their fallen friend on the road, doing his best to respect her body. The two Aylytes had their backs to the beaten Dot. She kept trying to push herself away from the blazing fires quietly. Her whimpers and moans were ignored by Ferric and Goran. “What is the plan, my lord?”  “We wait.” “How do we know she will come?” Goran was worried they were wasting their time. “Because of her.” Ferric turned and pointed to the area where Dot was last seen, but she was gone. Their demeanor changed dramatically, seeing this, racing over to the pit, searching everywhere they could see. Goran wasted no time and charged into the woods surrounding the highway.  “She couldn’t have gotten far!” Ferric shouted, jogging down the road, trying to see in the limited light.  “Goran! Do you see her?”    “No!” His powerful voice rippled through the night. For the first time, Ferric began to panic, sniffing wildly in the air, trying to find the woman’s scent. Glistening in the moonlight, Ferric spotted a pool of blood on the highway that trailed off into the woods. He grinned with delight, knowing he had found her.    “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Taunting Dot.  Inching closer to the blood, Ferric knelt down and dipped his finger in, rubbing the smear of blood between Roman’s thumb and middle finger.  “She’s over here, Goran!”  Hearing the woods behind him snap and crack under footsteps, he figured it was Goran, but he was wrong. Like a bat out of hell, Dot leaped from the thick woods and landed hard on Ferric’s back, throwing him off balance and crashing to the ground. Dot had her arm around his neck, using her other to close a chokehold on him. He swung behind him wildly, trying to pry the woman off, but she held on for dear life.  “Gor…” Ferric tried to scream for his friend, but Dot’s hold was too strong, she could feel him getting weaker while he still clawed at his back. Falling forward into a tree to try and support the weight he now carried, he tried to think of a way out.    “It’s over, Ferric!” Dot hissed in his ear, his eyes getting heavy from the lack of air. Moments passed, and Ferric fell to his one knee, and then the other.  Dot was unmerciful in her attack. A large thud echoed behind them as Goran landed hard on the road, it crumbled slightly under his frame. Towering over Dot, he swung at the woman to release his friend but was shocked when she stopped his blow dead in his tracks, letting go of Ferric, he tossed her off and ran out of range of the fight. He watched the blood ooze thought Dot’s hospital gown while she defended herself from the monstrous Aylyte. Not wasting another second, Ferric ran in and grabbed Dot’s arms, pinning them to her sides. She countered with a swift and strong head butt, knocking Ferric back, releasing her arms. Goran took the opportunity to gain the upper hand and took to the sky, grabbing Dot by the back of her gown, lifting her just feet into the air and dropping her. Ferric watched, wiping the blood from his nose as Dot’s body hit and bounced off of the asphalt, laughing the whole time. She was beaten, bruised, and bloody, but it seemed that she didn’t want to stop. Goran landed softly on the road, cursing and spitting at her. Dot was weak, but she kept trying to fight. “What is she doing, Ferric?”  “Seems like this one’s a fighter, Goran.” Walking over and grabbing their stubborn victim by her neck, hoisting her into the air.  “You, like this boy, are nothing more than a thorn in my side.” He was inches from Dot’s face. She could feel his spit landing on her cheek. Struggling to break free but her injuries caught up to her.  “You won’t win, Ferric.” Dot stated with power in her voice, Goran watching from a few steps away.  “You underestimate me.” He scoffed, bringing his hand above his head, and slamming his fist into the middle of Dot’s already bruised face. The punch knocked her out cold, falling limp in his grip. Dropping her, Ferric began walking back to the burning pit. Reaching into his pocket but the amulet was gone.  “No! Where did it go?” He screamed, searching the grounds for the piece. Goran grabbed Dot’s body and began to drag her behind him towards Ferric. Watching his commander search frantically for the amulet, Goran held out his hand. The gold piece laid securely inside his grip.  “The Gordian Amulet is safe, my lord.” Ferric snatched it out of his Goran’s hand and held it close to his chest.  “We are so close, my friend. Soon, Mara will be dead, and we can take this world as our own.” Goran drug Dot’s body closer to the pit, making sure to keep an eye on her at all times.  “Didn’t that seem strange, Ferric? This human fought us both and stood her ground.” “Does that look like it held its ground!” Ferric snapped at Goran, pointing directly at Dot’s unconscious body.  “It was a fluke, you fool!” Goran was tired of Ferric’s constant outbursts, but he swallowed his pride and ended the conversation. Thinking quickly and changing the subject, Goran tried to calm his friend. “When do you expect the Royal, my lord?” He asked, enthusiastically.  “Soon. My friend. She wouldn’t allow her b***h of a mother to die alone.” The laughs that came from them were maniacal. Slapping each other on the back, Goran knocked Ferric forward, forgetting the size difference between the two.  “I’m so sorry.” He begged for forgiveness. “It’s forgotten, my friend.” Ferric held up his hands, knowing the emotions were running wild. “When the moment comes, I want you to have the killing strike.” Goran looked to Ferric puzzled, not sure if this was some sort of strange test. “Me, my lord?” “Yes, you. With everything, we have been through, back in Torrid, and now, you have earned it, my friend.” Goran stood like a statue in the glow of the gateways flames, too proud and excited to say anything.  “I’ve never killed a Royal before.” He spoke after a few silent moments. Ferric smiled and slapped him on his arm with great enthusiasm. “Well, I have, and let me tell you something.” He motioned for Goran to bend down, Ferric whispering into his ear. “It’s quite fun.”  CHAPTER 20 "What are you doing, your majesty?" Peterson asked, scared at what was happening. Mara looked out of the small window of the door and could see her father and the F.E.A. guards screaming orders and pounding on the door. Not knowing how much time had with Peterson, she took advantage of the time they did have — walking to the single table and chair sitting in the room. "I need you to be honest with me." "Yes, your majesty." "Are you going to hurt me?" The question shocked Peterson, never thinking about hurting her. "Never." He said proudly.  Mara looked over the restraints that held the man in discomfort. Walking over she grabbed the strange cage that covered his face and yanked it off with ease, the metal snapped like a stale cracker in her powerful grip. Reaching for the cuffs that bound his hands and cut into his flesh, she tore them off as well, not even flinching at the thickness of the metal. Lastly, his restraints on his ankles, Mara bent down but was cut short by Peterson.  "No!" He shouted, sending Mara falling back onto her ass. "What the hell, Peterson!" She shouted. "I'm sorry your majesty, but a Royal never bows before a subject." He pulled the braces off of his legs and helped Mara to her feet. "Please forgive me." Kneeling down on his knee. Mara grabbed the chair from the corner and plopped it in front of the man.  "Sit." "Sit?" Peterson asked, confused. The pounding and shouting on the outside of the door were getting louder.  "I said sit, Peterson." Never having been asked to sit with a Royal, the terrified man smiled at the offer and took her up on it. Mara stood tall and began to interrogate the man.  "Who are you?" She asked. "Glenn Peterson, your majesty." Mara was instantly annoyed at his answer. "Who are you?" She asked again, watching the man hang his head in shame. "My true name is Azel, currier to the Laurian Kingdom."  "Why are you here? Why have you taken this man's body?" Thinking about what Ferric had done to Roman, the question sent fire through Mara's veins.  "The war, your majesty. It drove me here. As for Peterson, he was ill. Cancer was killing him." A few moments of silence passed, Mara paced back and forth. She was glaring at the man sitting in shame before her. Annoyance, anger, fear embraced her emotions.  "So, you stole this man's life?" Mara shouted to the shivering man before her. He fell to his knees again, pleading with a very angry teenage girl. "No, no, your majesty. He was sick. I helped him." Azel said shaking. "He agreed to this. He's healthy. Happy even." Mara wasn't buying any of this. "He was without family and was dying alone." "Who's in control?" "It's equal. I would never hurt him."  Mara could see a difference between Azel and Ferric. For some unknown reason, she trusted him. Placing her hand on the back of Azel's head, he breathed a sigh of relief. "How do you do it?" Mara ordered. "Do…what your…majesty?" Azel stuttered. "How do you take control of someone, like you did with Peterson." “It's called a Capere, your majesty." He lowered his head and held his palms out in surrender. "It taught to Aylytes at a young age. Very difficult to master. Only certain ones can harness enough power, let alone stay in another's body." "How do you do it?" "An elder Royal taught me while I was young. I only managed to get better with Peterson, allowing me to take him over."  "Show me." She ordered. Azel looked at her amazed. He hadn't come out of this form in so long. Without a word, his body grew nearly two feet, shredding his slacks and shirt. A blue tint came over his body, along with beast-like feet and razor-sharp claws, just like hers — a blue ring formed around the outer edge of his eyes. Mara watched the magnificent horns growing from his head. She could still see Peterson, even though the change. His shirt burst when a set of beautiful wings erupted from Azel's back. They took over the room and were almost as tall as he was.  "Forgive me, your highness. I call this my half form. I'm too weak to leave completely." He bowed and lowered his head.  "How do I get an Aylyte out of someone?" Mara thought of Roman. Azel looked at her in concern and thought, why would she need to know something like that so soon? "You must draw them out, if you kill them in their borrowed form, you kill the host as well." Mara's breath was heavy. She didn't know how she was going to do this we Ferric. "May I ask why, your majesty?" "My friend Roman was taken by one last night." Azel's face dropped. An Aylyte that powerful sent a shiver down his back.  "How did this war start?" Mara kept the questions coming. Azel looked at her, confused.  "You know about the war?"  "Very little, now how did it start?" Mara barked. "You don't know?" "No, Azel. I don't. Until a few days ago I was a teenage girl trying to enjoy my summer! Now I have wings and a strange man calling me majesty!"  Sweat poured from Mara, the pounding on the door was driving her mad.  "Now, how the f**k did this so-called war start!" Azel took a deep breath and answered. "His name was Ferric."  Mara's face dropped. Her mind began to spin. The same Aylyte she helped into this world was the single reason for everything that had been going on.  "Ferric!" Mara collapsed onto the cold floor, before she could hit the ground, Azel was there to catch her. "You're quick." Stating the speed of Azel. "You have no idea, your majesty." He answered smiling at her. "I haven't sensed a Royal in a very long time." Helping her now to the chair. "What happened with Ferric?" "Many years ago, he broke rank and murdered his king in cold blood. Amassed a huge army and took the fight to the five kingdoms of Torrid. His quest was to bring this world to its knees and become its ruler."  Mara was pissed by Azel's words. Knowing everything Ferric had told her was a lie. "How?" "The Gordian Amulets, your majesty." "Stop," Mara ordered. "Why do you keep calling me your majesty?" A wide smile grew on Azel's blue colored face.  "Why, your majesty, you are the last born Royal. The last child of the kingdoms to be birthed before our world fell. Until now, I thought you were dead. No Aylyte has ever laid eyes on you." The pounding on the door became increasingly louder. Mara wasted no time. She rushed more answers at Azel. The Aylyte smiled at her with care in his eyes. "You seem worried, your highness."  "Those doors won't hold for long." She answered shyly.  "Your majesty, these rooms were designed to keep us in here. We have some time." The pair chuckled at the thought. "Tell me about the amulets." Still trying to wrap her mind around his words. "Each kingdom was in possession of one. Each one opens a gateway to this realm. Ferric hunted them like a bloodhound."  Azel's face went white with fear. "Rumor is that if he could collect all five, he could open all the gateways here and lead his army."  Mara felt light-headed; she just wanted to eat pizza and complain about boys and school with her friends.  "So, he has them?" She asked, confused. "He has at least one. Maybe two, and that's how he's here now, but last I heard, some of the kingdoms destroyed their amulets to try and stop him." Mara could hear her father screaming orders, the sound of the caged Aylytes was almost deafening as they watched the human's trying to get to her and Azel. Grabbing Azel by his collar and ordering him to tell her as much as he could before they were interrupted.  ”How am I here then, Azel. What myth?"  "That the Laurian queen was with child, and before the war was brought to them, they hid you here in this world." Mara's head was spinning again. She went black before Azel interrupted.  "You said you were a courier for the Laurian's," Mara asked, confused. "I was, and I still am." He placed a hand on each of Mara's arms. "I am here to help you. I am with you until the end."  Mara found this strange, she had just met this Aylyte and he was already willing to offer his life to protect her.  "When they get into the room, they will kill me, your majesty."  Sadness washed across Azel's face, and Mara knew he was right. She cleared her head and wiped away the tears that were building up in her eyes and stood, walking to the door slowly. Showing her face through the small glass window, she came face to face with her father. He was bright red, sweat poured from his hairline, and she could tell he was tired. He looked to his daughter, and she could see the relief in his eyes.  "Dad." Just like before, she was ignored by him. He turned and kept shouting orders to the guards, watching Colonel Fief pace back and forth, screaming into his cell phone, trying to figure out how to get into the room. Major Gladii, on the other hand, was calm and collected. He stood back, away from the chaos. His arms rested on his firearm that hung from his shoulders. Mara could see a sexy smirk on his face but didn't know what he was smiling at. Mara tried to plead with her father again.  "Dad." Her voice a little louder, but still, nothing, his orders were being carried out by his guards. The Aylytes began to chant and hoot, some supporting Mara, others wanting her killed on the spot.  "DAD!" Her voice was as powerful as before, finally getting her father's attention. He looked at her through the glass, relieved she was safe. Mara looked back at her new friend. His skin seemed to turn a darker blue. She could see the scars of war that covered him. The horns that adorned his head were marvelous, curling and twisting with a hint of gold shimmering in the fluorescent lights of the room. The giant wings that sprung from his back like sails on a ship were flailed out now, pushing the chair and table out of the way. His breathing was heavy, and his fists clenched, ready to fight. A feeling of safety over took Mara. She knew Azel was her protector and would die for her.  "Till the end, your majesty." Mara looked back at her father and his guards, Major Gladii was closer to the door, still with that sexy little smile on his face. He placed his hand on the general's elbow and backed him away from the door and took his place.  "Mara. You want to come out?" He asked, smiling. "I will, but call your dogs off." She ordered. "These men won't make a move; you have my word." Jayce put his hands up in surrender, flashing that genuine smile that eased Mara's worry. She looked back to Azel, putting all his trust in her.  "When we get out of here, I want more answers." Whispering the order to him. "Anything, your majesty." He answered, bowing his head.  The F.E.A. guards outside waited patiently before taking cover at the thundering sound of metal being torn apart. The general and Colonel Fief were shocked seeing razor-sharp claws bursting through the center of the door. Inside, Mara remembered she smashed the keypad and decided to tear the door off of its hinges instead. The nearly foot-thick door hit the floor with an impressive boom. Mara stepped outside of the room, her stance was impressive, even intimidating the highly trained F.E.A. guards.  "STAND DOWN!"  Major Gladii's voice rang out over everything. Mara looked at him and winked for keeping his word. Not far behind her was Azel, his new form shocked the gang that stood watching him emerge.  "Peterson?" Fief was as confused as everyone else seeing the man who has been on base since he could remember.  "You're one of them?" Mara didn't like Fief's tone with her new friend. "His name is Azel, and you will address him like that. Understood?" Her glare could cut any man down.  "How can we trust him, Mara?" General Ganges tried to talk some sense into his daughter. She scoffed at his words.  "He's worked for you for how many years, general?" Her attitude was snarky and defiant. "If he wanted to try anything, he could have torn this place down from the inside out." Her words struck a chord with everyone in the area. Everyone was on edge, the hooting from the Aylytes in their cells was now too much for even Mara to bear.  "Come on. We need to get out of here." Major Gladii began to shout orders, everyone, including the general, listened without pause. Making their way back down the prison to the exit, the Aylytes caught a glimpse of Peterson in his half form. The beasts in the top rows howled and taunted him worse than they had Mara. "You coward! You run and hide!"  "Traitor!"  "You should be here with us!" They seemed to never stop but Azel ignored them all, his focus was making sure that Mara was safe. The group made their way to the exit. The chilly air in The Mine cooled Mara's skin, which felt like it was on fire after her discussion with Azel. Making their way through the gigantic steel doors that separated the prison from the rest of the world, the general's phone began to ring. Quickly pulling it out of his pocket, seeing Dr. Brocious was calling, a lump grew in his throat. Pressing the phone to his ear, his voice cracked. "Doctor." He answered. Mara looked at the uncertainty in her father's eyes. His next words sent chills down her spine.  "What do you mean Dot is missing?" CHAPTER 21 Everyone in the hall froze and watched the general with white faces. "Doctor, I don't understand. Dot was under orders not to be seen."  "I know that Rolly, but one of the nurses let Roman see her late last night." Dr. Brocious explained over the phone. Mara had her hand over her mouth, backing into Azel. He squeezed her arm to let her know he was there for support. She watched her father leaned into the wall, burying his face in his hand.  "Ben, why was Roman in Dot's room?" The name struck a chord with Mara, immediately she thought of her friend and what Ferric was doing.  "The nurse said he came in all busted up, needed to talk to Dot to clear his head." The doctor choked out. General Ganges gave Colonel Fief a hard shove into his chest, pinning him against the wall, pressing his face nose to nose.  "What did you do to that boy, Andrew?" The colonel was just as shocked as everyone else. "What do you mean, Rolly? I only saw him a few minutes yesterday."  "The doctor said he was busted up and needed to see Dot and now she's missing. What did you do to him?" The general's face was a color red Mara had never seen, wishing she didn't have to see him like this.  "Rolly, I swear, I didn't lay a hand on him." General Ganges backed off his friend and pressed the phone to his ear. "Maybe they went for food. Have you checked the cafe?" He eyeballed the colonel while the major checked on him. "Rolly, it's worse than that." Dr. Brocious sounded worried. "What do you mean, Ben?" The general asked before being followed by a long pause.  "Her window was torn out of the wall." The air rushed out of the General's lungs. "What do you mean, Ben?" "I know this sounds insane, but the window was torn clean out of the frame." "What can pull out three inches of bulletproof glass, doctor? From the third floor, nonetheless!"  He was completely leaned against the wall, his eyes puffy and red, but no tears escaped his eyes.  "Rolly, I have no idea. I was just called in and contacted you right away." Dr. Brocious felt weak, not having any answers for his boss.  "We… I'll be there as soon as possible." The general stated before hanging up the phone. He began to jog down the hall towards the command center. Mara, Azel, Colonel Fief, and the major with his guards all followed.  "Rolly, what is going on? Where's Dot?" Asked Fief.  "She's missing. Her rooms have been broken into, and the last one to see her was your son." Mara shot Azel a gaze, and he understood completely. They fell back from the group. "Your majesty, Ferric, is incredibly powerful and not to mention, completely insane." He was still in his half form. He looked at Mara with protectiveness in his eyes. "What do we do?"  "Draw him out, your highness. Otherwise, you could kill your friend."  Mara's heart felt like it shattered in her chest; she couldn't live with herself if she ever hurt Roman. Looking ahead and saw the group had come to a stop, their glares were locked on Azel. "What?" Mara asked, looking at each one in the eye. Colonel Fief stepped forward and stood tall towards Azel.  "Shouldn't he be back in his cell?" His tone was arrogant and harsh. Mara watched Azel's entire mood change. Stepping toward the officer, he leaned down to the man's face.  "I go where my Royal goes. Understood?" He growled through his teeth.  Fief was in no mood to deal with the beast's ignorance. He reached for his sidearm to threaten him. A blue whoosh crossed his sight, and Azel stood, spinning the dismantled gun on his finger.  "What were you going to do with this, colonel?" Mara watched with a smile, Fief's face was priceless, as was her father's and the major. Placing the piece into the officers hand, the colonel looked at Azel in awe.  "You're fast." He stated. "You have no idea," Azel said with a grin. Mara cooled the situation down. They were on the same team. "Azel, hide. We can't let them see you." With a short bow, the Aylyte began to quickly change back to the man they all knew.  "Azel?" Mara asked cautiously.  "I am here, your majesty." He smiled. Mara looked at her father.  "Well?" Her teenage attitude glowed through her words. He smiled and turned, opening the doors to the control room. Fief stood behind Azel, who was now in Peterson's form. Looking down and inspecting the man's torn pants, he laughed to himself. "No underwear, Peterson?" Without missing a beat, he answered. "No, sir. They hold me back." The group rushed through the magnificent room, the masked guards made their way to the front and formed a barricade to keep everyone away. They all were focused on Dot and didn't pay attention to the hisses and cheers from the soldiers.  "Peterson, you're back!"  "What happened to your pants, Peterson?" Another joked.  His new mission was now to protect Mara at all costs. Through the room, Mara watched as her father and Fief spoke orders into their phones. She couldn't hear what they were saying. Her mind was too cluttered from all the excitement. Passing another set of doors, the carts they drove down the long tunnel had multiplied — more carts for the seven of them. Worry took over Mara's thoughts about her mom. What was Ferric doing? Jumping on, Azel took the back seat with his Royal.  "Dad, what are we going to do about mom? Where are we going now?" "The hospital, sweetie. We need to find your mother." He answered.  Forgetting about the phone in her pocket, it began to vibrate wildly. Ignoring it, she looked to the huge doors in the distance. Again and again it vibrated and lit up in her sweatpants. Pulling it out she saw that she had a new text from Roman. Her blood spiked at the thought he had the balls to message her. Clicking open the message a picture quickly downloaded. Her stomach sank to a pit when she saw what it was. It was her mother, bloody and burned, lying unconscious next to the now flaming pit on the abandoned highway. Pulling on Azel's arm, she showed him the image.  "We gotta get there as fast as possible!" Mara called for her father, who was busy talking on his phone again.  "Dad!" He looked to his daughter with worry. "What is it?" "I know where mom is!" She shouted over the wind blowing past her ears.  "What? How?"  "Roman has mom where you found me!" Showing her dad the phone, his heart sank knowing exactly where she was. Snatching the phone out of Mara's hand, he showed Fief. He knew where she was in an instant, the crude spray paint artwork on the old road was known to everybody. "What the hell is going on, Rolly?" Focusing on the tunnel ahead. The General turned to Azel, hoping the man would have some kind of answers. "Up until a few days ago, everything was calm. You can't tell me this isn't all connected." Azel thought about what had happened in the last few hours. What Mara had told him, what he had told her. He knew Ferric from the kingdoms and knew what he was capable of doing.  "His name is Ferric, general. Extremely powerful, physically and mentally. He was a Royal Guard for the Kunai Kingdom. They were master weapons makers and fighters. He is trained to kill, sir. Sadistic as they come with absolutely no remorse." General Ganges took in Azel's words and sat back, watching the giant doors zoom closer to him.  The huge doors began to open the closer the drove, armed guards with masks seemed to come from everywhere, all lined up like toy soldiers. Bright lights and barking dogs filled the early morning silence. The fresh, cold mountain air was a welcomed relief to Mara. The air on the inside of the bunker was stale. Coming to a hard stop, she slid forward on her seat, smacking her knee on her father's seat in front of her.  "Sorry, Mara." Colonel Fief said robotically, stepping out of the cart. Mara followed as did the general and Azel. She was taken aback at the small army she was watching come together.  "They are the only unit in the world who can hunt Aylytes." Peterson bellowed over the constant noise around them. Mara turned in place, watching the chaos unfold. The sound of marching boots rattled the ground. Major Gladii walked up to her with a huge dimples decorating his cute face.  "It's gonna be a wild night." Checking over his weapon. Mara watched her father and a small group of officers talk amongst themselves.  "What are they talking about? We need to go!" Mara shouted over the noise to the major.  "Attack plans. What they want to do and how they wanna do it." Jayce shouted back. "We want Dot alive, Mara. We can't just go rushing in." He sounded worried about Dot as if he knew her himself. "Do you know my mom?"  "Her cookies are amazing!" Jayce rolled his eyes and leaned back, his mannerisms were comical.  "Ferric doesn't want my mom. He wants me!" "Who's Ferric?" The major asked confused. Mara was taken back. She knew something the major didn't? For a brief moment, she felt superior to him. "No one. Never-mind. We need to go!"  "I'm sorry, Mara. I have to go." Jayce placed his hand on her arm before jogging away to another group of soldiers. She felt abandoned, almost like her father wasn't moving fast enough. Azel could see how frustrated she was becoming. He tried to calm her down to no effect.  "Your highness, these people are trained for these types of things."  "It's my mom, Azel! This isn't a mission!" Running her hands through her hair, tugging at her sweatpants she could feel herself getting angrier with every passing second. A thought popped into Mara's head, but she knew she would risk everything if she did it. She grabbed Azel by his arm and pulled him to the side. He watched her with concern.  "Are you well, your highness?"  "You said you would protect me, right?" "With my life, your highness." Azel stood tall with his words. Mara thought another minute. "Would you help me with something. It's crazy, though." Looking back over her shoulder but everyone was too busy playing grab-ass to care what she was doing.  "Anything." Azel looked down at Mara, she looked up and seen the blue ring around each eye.  "We fly there?" Mara's brass words made Azel shake his head in disbelief.  "Fly? Your majesty, they would shoot at us before we took off."  "Not if we take my dad with us." She squinted her eyes, waiting for her new friend's reaction. A mischievous smile grew on Azel's face. "What's the plan?" Mara pulled him in closer so that no one could hear. "This thing," Showing him her beautiful bracelet. "If I smash it, I change." Azel looked at her jewelry in awe. He had never seen anything so breathtaking.  "Go on, your majesty." "If I smash it, I change, so what if I do that, grab my dad and go. You grab Fief and follow me. They won't shoot at them, so we could get out of here." Mara watched Azel with huge eyes, holding her breath in excitement.  "What do you think?" He put his hand to his face and squeezed his chin and lip, looking down to Mara.  "I think it's absolutely insane, your majesty." Mara's face dropped, thinking he wasn't going to help, but her smile returned with his answer.  "But I think it could actually work." The duo ran across the compound, finding a dark place for Azel to hide to get into his half-form. He crouched down to hide his majestic wings and a bigger frame.  "When I take off, you grab Fief and stay close," Azel said nothing and agreed in silence. He watched her make her way towards the general, who was still talking to a group of officers and Major Gladii. Mara knew once she broke the gem, she would have a few seconds before she was able to fly, so she timed it perfectly. Walking past a line of masked guards, she swung and smashed her bracelet off the butt of one of their guns. Slipping the band from her wrist once it opened, she called for her father.  "Dad!" A powerful voice took over her normal sound that caught the attention of the man instantly.  "Mara, I want you to stay here…" He was cut off by his daughter handing him the bracelet.  "I need you to hold this, dad." She extended her arm with the top of her hand to his eyes. Placing it in his palm, she took off for the dark place where Azel was hiding. The painful transformation began almost immediately. She ducked down and Azel tried to comfort her.  "The changes do become easier, your majesty."  General Ganges didn't understand what his daughter was pulling, but he had little time for games. He looked at his hand and almost lost his cool. Quickly shoving the piece into his jacket pocket he searched quickly for Mara, not being able to find her. Colonel Fief saw the distress in the man's eyes and rushed to him.  "Rolly, are you ok?" He stepped away from Fief and tried to talk. "I think Mara is…" The man was gone, swooped up by a lavender blur in the bright lights of the base.  "General!" Fief hollered, gaining the attention of everyone in the compound. "Gener…" In a flash, Colonel Fief was gone just as quickly. The gaggle of soldiers scrambled, trying to figure out what was going on. They began to scream into the night, trying to find the missing men.  High in the sky, General Ganges clung on for dear life to Mara, now in her full form.  "Mara...What are you doing?" He could hardly hear himself think over the rush of the wind. His legs were dangling below him with a death grip on Mara's arms. Perri was beautiful from such a height. Never had he seen the town look so gorgeous.  "Mara!" She kept quiet a few seconds while her father cursed into the night. Finally, looking down at him, his face was ghost white at the height they were flying at. "Did you hold on to the bracelet?"  CHAPTER 22 Mara kept an eye out while they flew, trying to stay level in flight, it was nearly impossible withholding her father's weight. Her shoulders felt like they were separating, her muscles stretched and ached terribly, but she knew she had to hang on.  ”Mara! You need to stay low!" The general was trying to keep her out of everyone's sight. "Yea, dad. I know." The highway was still a mile or so away. The group could see the glow from the open gateway.  "What the hell is that?" Fief screamed, still clinging onto the arms and tattered shirt of Azel soaring through the night sky. Azel gave the colonel a quick glance and called for Mara. Slowing down her pace, her servant flew next to her. "He's opened a gateway back home!"  "Yea, I can see that! What do we do?" Azel looked at Mara with uncertainty.  "We need a plan, your highness, Ferric is far too powerful to just drop in on." Mara thought hard for a few seconds, and it hit her. "I know where to land." Taking height in the sky, Azel followed. They swooped over town, the two officers were still trying to figure out what their plans were. From the air, Mara and Azel could see Goran and Ferric waiting on the highway. The fiery glow of the gateway elongated their shadows on the asphalt. With her new Aylyte eyes, Mara could see all of the artwork decorating the road. Somewhere magical, well thought out works of art, but more often than not, it was crudely drawn genitals that covered most of the road. Mara began to descend and knew where she needed to go, the giant ditch on the side of the road where the bodies of the murdered Aylytes were tossed after she had her way with them. General Ganges pulled his legs up to his chest, and the trees were beginning to slap his feet and shins.  "Mara, honey, what are you doing?" He begged. "Sorry, dad. I'm not really that great at landing yet." Her father shot her a look that Azel even laughed at. "What does that mean, Mara?" The trees were slapping the man's thighs now, the further they dropped. He looked around. Fief was still clinging to Azel, just as lost as the general himself. Mara's arms were burning. She knew she couldn't hold her father's weight any longer. With one final swoop, she pulled her dad up into her and held on tight. Closing her wings to enclose them for protection, she crashed through the thick trunks of the pine and oak trees. The splintering branches snapped and stuck into her lavender flesh, tearing more skin off of her with each passing second. Finally, they hit the ground hard, and Mara rolled to lessen the impact of the landing. Sliding across the wet forest floor, Mara opened her wings when she stopped on her back. General Ganges popped up quickly and leaned on the tree closest to him.  "Dad! Are you ok?" Mara darted to her feet and rushed to his side. "Yea." The man looked like he was going to be sick. "I haven't flown like that since I was a youngster. Can we not do that again?" Mara laughed, holding back the thoughts she had built up in her head when she thought she had hurt him. Not far from where they stood, they watched Azel land on his feet, still holding Colonel Fief in his arms. The colonel looked to the general and slowly walked away from towering Aylyte. Propping himself on another tree, he started to gag and choke, wiping sweat from his face. The general had a quiet laugh at his friend.  "Just like boot camp, huh?" Fief looked green, his skin was had the texture of clay, and his hands shook out of fear. "That…that was nothing like boot camp!"  Azel walked to Mara and started to kneel. She stopped him abruptly. "No. No, no. We don't have time for that. We need a plan."  "We need to draw him out of your friend. Anything that is done to Ferric will affect Roman." "What do you mean?"  "Fight Ferric while he's in Roman and you run the risk of killing Roman and not Ferric. Roman's body will absorb most of the damage and allow Ferric to walk away nearly untouched."  The general and Fief met with each other and began to start a plan. The darkness of the early morning was a great cover, and the gateway lit their target well. A strange smell filled the air, making the officers cover their noses in disgust. Pulling out his phone and using the flashlight, the general and Fief looked into the dark of the brush, horrified at their discovery.  "What the f**k?" Fief jumped back, Mara and Azel raced to his side, prepared for the worst. Seeming unfazed by the sight, Mara wanted to know what was wrong.  "Why is there a pile of dead Aylytes here!" Fief had to control his anger, not knowing what was going on. Azel looked to Mara for an explanation. She smiled at the heap of her uninvited dead guests. "I watched them crawl out of the highway and had to take care of it myself." Her answer was cold and distant.  The officers looked at each other in utter confusion, finally knowing how the Aylytes escaped and got through their perimeter, and how they attacked Dot.  "You actually watched them…come out of the highway?" Her dad asked again. Answering with a simple nod, Mara started to crawl up the dirt embankment and peer over the mound, stalking Ferric's every move. Watching him like an eagle hunting its prey, her blood pressure spiked watching him in Roman's stolen body and her mother barely holding on to life. Azel, General Ganges, and Fief crawled up the dirt and laid down next to Mara, still not sure of what to do. Colonel Fief watched what he thought was his son, spit and curse at Dot, while she tried desperately to defend herself.  "I didn't hurt him earlier, Rolly. But I'm gonna hurt him now." Fief gritted his teeth in complete anger. General Ganges pulled his friend back down into the dirt by his collar when the man tried to dart for his son.  "We need to figure this out, Andrew. What is that lying on the ground?" "Her name was Aladon. She's dead too." Mara answered, her father puzzled but proud that she could take care of herself. "Yea, I can see that." The group could see the bloody sword still plunged into her chest. "Who's the other one?" "Goran. Almost as insane as Ferric." Azel stated. His huge frame was still decorated by the bag Ferric had entrusted him with. "Who's Ferric?" Colonel Fief questioned. Azel looked at his former boss with sadness. "The one who now controls your son." Mara pulled away from the mound, trying to hide her horns and wings from view. Azel followed her back to the pile of dead Aylytes.  "I did this to them. Why can't I just do it to them?" Her hands were pointing to the dozens of dead beasts at her feet. Azel waited a moment to answer, needing to choose the right words to warn his master, but push her to be her best. "I never said you couldn't do that to them, your highness." He smiled. "I said you need to draw Ferric out, and I think I have an idea." Mara was all ears. She would do anything to watch the life escape from Ferric's eyes.  "What is it?" She ordered.  "He is quite vain, and his image is everything to him. Even as a guard, everyone knew who he was. The best weapons, the shiniest armor. It's all glamour and violence to him."  Mara didn't follow Azel's words. He held Mara by her arms, trying again. "Your highness, draw him out of Roman by taunting him. His anger and ego will blind him, and he will release Roman to fight you."  "How do I beat him?" She hung her head low, her chin almost touching her chest. "You have us." Azel turned Mara to her dad and Fief. She knew she wasn't alone. Looking out into the darkness of the woods, her mind raced. The smell of smoldering ash took over the mountain air. Trash was littered everywhere and some of the trees were painted with bright colors that shined brighter than ever with her new sight. Thrown about next to burned-out wood from makeshift bonfires, rusted spray paint cans decorated what little grass was left in the woods. Bumping one of them with her Aylyte foot, Mara was ashamed that the kids of the base treated their town the way they did. Azel did his best to try and ease her worries.  "We can do this, your majesty."  Mara paced around a moment, her fingers pressed to her temples.  "Azel," Pausing in fear, Mara fought the lump in her throat. "You're free to go. You don't owe me anything." A tearful Mara ordered. Her servant ignored her order and looked deeply into her black eyes. Now with a circle of blue lining the outer edge, he placed his forehead to hers. A rush of warmth shot through her body. It was the same thing her parents had done to her. They would place their foreheads together anytime they wanted to make her feel safe and loved. "As I said before, your majesty. I am with you until the end."  Tears rushed from Mara as she hugged Azel tightly. He had never felt such love coming from a royal and squeezed back. The pure moment was cut short from a screaming Ferric. His words bounced off each tree with a powerful force, sending chills down everyone's spines.  "Come on out ya little b***h! Didn't think I knew you were there!"  The group all looked to one another, knowing the surprise was ruined. Mara and Azel made their way to the general. Fief was busy trying to look back over the mound of dirt looking to see his son. He watched Roman violently attack Dot again. Kicking her wildly in her ribs, cursing at her, Fief had never heard such filth come from his son's mouth. It struck a chord with the man; he lost control and broke free of the trees and made his way to the middle of the road.  "ROMAN!" His shouts echoed in the night. His son glared down the painted road and watched Fief shaking in anger.  "Oh, daddy. What a surprise." Roman's voice broke, Ferric's low powerful growl took over. Fief's face dropped. "You're not my son!" He barked.  Mara and Azel rushed from the trees, along with the general, standing tall next to Fief. Ferric watched his plan come to pass, laughing wildly at the young royal and her new servant. Unknowingly, Mara, Azel, her dad, and the colonel had walked into a trap. As they focused on Roman at the edge of the fire, they failed to notice Goran taking off and flying high above and slamming down hard behind them, sinking his heavy body into the crumbling road. General Gages slowly turned and c****d his head back at the beast, standing over nine feet tall. "Well, you're a big one, ain't cha?" The general slurred. Roman's manic laughs grew wilder, seeing his friend trap the group on the highway. "Goran, could you do me a favor and dispose of my dear father there?" Ferric's order was joyful, almost with a hint of glee in his voice.  "With pleasure," Goran answered, grabbing Fief by his shoulders and sinking his claws deep into the man's flesh. With a powerful swoosh, Goran had taken to the sky, disappearing into the woods with Fief in his arms, who was bleeding out and struggling to get to his sidearm. "Azel! Get the colonel!" Mara shouted.  "But, your majesty…"  "Azel. Now!" She ordered again, and with that, he was gone in the blink of an eye. His half form was soaring through the air. Mara shot Ferric a cold look, clenching her fists and cracking her neck. "You're gonna regret that."  CHAPTER 23 "Promise?" Ferric taunted with wide eyes. Walking past the nearly unconscious body of Dot, he gave a hard kick to her ribs, sending her into a coughing fit. "Ferric! You touch her again. I will f*****g kill you now!"  Mara went insane with anger. Her wings flew to the sides, perched out, nearly extending the width of the roadway. Digging her feet into the asphalt, picturing Ferric dead.   "Calm down." The body of Roman laughed, waving his hand at her. "Your filthy mother is fine. It's you I want dead."  Mara watched the boy she's had a crush on for years begin a mad sprint towards her. His eyes were sunken and dark. A gold ring encased his pupil. He looked weak like Ferric was eating at him. His jaw dropped like a mad dog ready to bite, spit flew from his mouth. Mara felt sick at the sight of him, but she knew it wasn't really Roman. Diving at her face, snapping and digging at her, Mara stepped to the side and grabbed Roman by his neck and slammed his head off the road. Blood erupted from his face while his body flopped like a fish out of water. Mara stood over the shaking body of Roman with her fist ready to crush his skull, but Ferric thought he was clever. He turned to her; his green eyes were bright, a soft-spoken voice burst through.  "Mara? What are you doing?" Roman was covered in blood and dirt, begging his friend to stop. She stepped back, not sure if she wanted to trust this new Roman.   "Mara? What is going on?" Tears fell from his eyes.  Stopping in her tracks, her mind seemed to go blank, her heart almost melted when she saw Roman smile at her. Ferric was smart, but Mara was smarter. He stood and extended his arms out for a hug, with tears of joy and squeals of excitement. Mara returned the gesture, holding her arms out, waiting to embrace her friend. Just before contact was made, Mara lifted her knee into Roman's stomach with tremendous power, sending him flying across the highway and landing in a heap of screams and pain.  "Did you really think that would work? Seriously?" Mara walked to Roman's body, lifting him by his head.  "That cheap s**t is in every movie ever made." Taking her knee and catching Roman on the underside of his chin. The boy went limp and fell back towards the ground. Mara gasped, knowing she just hurt her friend, remembering Azel's warning about Capere a little too late. "s**t! If I hurt Ferric, I hurt Roman!" Darting to his side, she lifted his head on her lap, completely forgetting she was in her new form. Slapping his face and trying to get any response from him. His eyes were rolling to the back of his head, knowing he was hurt badly, but she didn't give up.   "Come on, Ro. You can beat this." Her voice became frantic. "Come on, Ro!"   General Ganges watched what had unfolded with his daughter in amazement. He was proud of who she was becoming. Sneaking past the chaos that was Mara and Ferric, he inched his way towards Dot. Reaching for her battered arm, her soft skin felt as if it were on fire. He quickly looked to see Mara was still trying to help Roman and scooped Dot up in his arms.  "Come on, sweetie." She was in worse shape than before. It had looked like she was in a bar fight with six gorillas. Just like Mara was doing with Roman, the general was doing with his wife.  "Come on, sweetie. Wake up." He was fighting from crying, seeing his wife in this condition again. Feeling like he had failed as a military leader and more importantly, he failed as a husband. Pulling her further onto his lap, they laid under the overgrown trees in the median in the road. Small signs of life from Dot tugged at her husband's heart.  "Dot? Come on, wake up." The woman looked frail, her eyes were barely open, but her first words didn't even surprise her husband.  "M..Mara?" She whispered. The general lost control of his tears and held her in close with a tight grip.  "She's …she's in trouble, and I'm going to help her. OK?" His shaking hand was brushing his wife's beautiful blonde hair out of her face.  "Please…please hang on just a little longer." He begged her.  "Go." Dot muttered and pointed to their daughter, she could see Mara in her form. Her beautiful skin was bleeding and her wings cast a long shadow over her and Roman.  "Go."  She assured her husband that she would be OK. He struggled to get out from under her without hurting her further, laying her head down gently and kissed Dot on her bloody forehead.  "I love you." Turning away to help their daughter.' Mara sat with Roman on her knee; he was breathing but just barely. A blank stair had rested on Mara's face. Watching her friend suffer because of her was eating away at her rapidly. Roman coughed violently and turned to his side to spit. His words were garbled and muttered.  "Mm..mara." He sounded like he was fighting. Looking down at her friend, she didn't know if it was really him. Putting her ear to his mouth and holding her breath, she could barely hear his weak voice.  "If…you have…to. Kill..m…me." Blood filled his mouth making it hard for him to talk. Mara shook her head no.  "I can't…I can't do that, Roman." Her eyes welled up red. "I can't. I'm sorry."  Shaking her head back and forth, trying to stay calm. Roman reached for Mara's clawed hand and squeezed as hard as he could. She pulled his hand to her lips and planted a kiss on the inside of his wrist. The blood from the fighting made the perfect imprint of her lips on Roman's pale body.  "If…you…have to. Do it." He choked out, seeming like he was losing a battle inside him.  "Ru..ruu..run!" Were his last words before his head connected with Mara's, slamming her skull and throwing her backward.  "Don't ever touch me again!" Ferric's voice boomed from Roman. Holding her face from the blow, and gaining her composure, an idea popped into her head with Ferric's words. Mara smiled and thought to herself, his ego. "You're right, Ferric. I won't be touching you again." She stood up and began to walk alongside the road, looking at each piece of crude art on the road and laughing with each one.  "I painted that." She giggled and pointed.  "What do you mean you won't touch me again?" "See, I'm a Royal. A Royal, honey." Snapping her fingers at him with an over exaggerated  "So that means, even Roman, a human, is too beneath me to fight." Mara never looked at Ferric when she spoke.  "You're a human!" He roared, reminding her of what she was. "I hide as one. I'm not one. Big difference. So, no, I don't want to fight you." Still looking to the ground, she started to walk closer to the burning pit, seeing her mother was out of harm's way, Mara laughed at another painting on the road. She could tell Ferric was getting annoyed and angry.  "It's funny either way, Ferric." "What do you mean?" He was uncomfortable and jumpy now. Mara had done what she needed to do. She got into Ferric's head. "You either kill me and win this world, as a human, I'm sure that will go over well with all of your friends back home. You hiding as a weak human?"   Mara could see Ferric thinking about her words. "Or, you stay in that human, and I refuse to fight you. And this time, you won't be able to sneak up on your Royal." Mara shot a looked that tore into Ferric, he was so intent on killing her he couldn't see the game she was playing on him.  "Either way, your story is connected to a race you hate." Mara let out a deep chuckle from the bottom of her belly.  "Shut your mouth, you trash, or I'm going to rewrite the story another way." Ferric was pissed, his breathing was heavy but slow. His fists balled so tight his arms were shaking. Mara knew she was winning and knew it was only a matter of time before he left Roman.  "Why did you do it? Why did you kill your king?" She asked, watching Roman's movements became erratic. "Who told you that!" He demanded.  "Now, see, that Ferric would have been worthy of fighting me." Mara kept her taunting going. "If that's the Ferric you wanted, why didn't you just say so?"  The mad Aylyte grinned, Mara watched Roman's eyes began to glow a terrible muddy gold color. Roman's body collapsed to his knees, screams of tormented pain filled the early morning. His screams of pain only got worse with each passing moment. He threw his arms in the air and flung his head back. A black mist began to emerge from his eyes, ears and mouth, it swirled faster and higher, growing into a deeper, darker color. General Ganges was stopped in his tracks, watching the ritual happen right before his eyes, witnessing the ever-growing form of Ferric.  Roman's bloody and badly beaten body fell forward from his knees and smacked his face off the pavement. Mara was too late to catch him, still processing what she had just witnessed. Rushing to his side, he was breathing, but it was light, she glared at Ferric, not impressed by his size, she remembered him bigger the first time they had met. "Is this more suitable, your majesty?" Ferric bowed in a comical gesture.  "Much," Mara growled, standing up and making her way to the Aylyte in the street. Ferric wasted no time and darted towards Mara, snapping his jaw and screaming threats the whole time. The two met in a thunderous crash, Mara tackled Ferric to the ground and slammed her fists into his face and chest. She was relentless, using her claws to tear flesh from his arms. He seemed to laugh at her from his position, finally grabbing both of Mara's fists, smirking while he did it. Catching her in a trap, sitting up and pummeling her with a barrage of merciless head butts. Each one took more of her energy even to try and protect herself.  A large pop rang out from a few feet away from where the fight was taking place — another pop and then again, followed by another. Ferric seemed to stop his assault on Mara. His grip loosened on her right hand. Through the blood in her eyes, she saw her father with a smoking gun in his hand and hatred on his face. Ferric gave a wild roar and released Mara's other hand, charging towards her father, the gunshots didn't even seem to slow the wild beast down. Mara wasted no time and lunged at Ferric's legs, tripping him in his sprint to her father. Cursing Mara as he fell, his focus was back to her and not her father,  "Stupid girl!" He spat at her. General Ganges had raced to Ferric and shouted at him to stop and pointed his gun in the Aylyte's face. "Listen here, big fella. I have an army coming as we speak. So why don't you just give it up."  Rolly tried to defuse the situation, not knowing how sick his enemy really was. It seemed to work for only a brief second before Ferric struck at the general. Reaching from his position lying on the ground, Ferric slapped the gun from the general's hand and caught him with a powerful uppercut, sending the man flying across the highway, bouncing off the ground like a stone across a lake and stopping on the bank just past the guard rail. Rolling face up into a large mud puddle. Mara pulled herself away from Ferric's grip and darted away from his attack. Making it over the rail to her father, he was cut up bad but alive, placing her hand on his chest, she could feel it moving up and down. A strange calm came over her while she knelt next to him, a focused calm she couldn't quite explain. Standing and taking a deep breath, she walked slowly over the guard rail and studied Ferric like a madwoman. Looking at each scar, he wore like a badge of honor, his tired eyes that wanted to cry but were forbidden to do so. Mara knew she had to win. Without warning, she leaped into the air and took off like a bat out of hell. Using her new wings to climb higher in the sky then she ever had before, it was freeing. Ferric wasted no time and took off after her, gaining on her with ease using his wings more than his enemy ever had, laughing wildly at her sad attempt.  Looking back, Mara wasn't ready for Ferric to catch up as fast as he did, caught off guard, she thought quickly, climbing straight up into the night sky. Ferric grabbed at her feet, but she kept just out of his reach.  "Can't run forever, princess!" He hurled insults.  The clouds were thick, and Mara looked back down at Ferric. Her hometown was so small from this height. The twinkling lights dotted the mountains like faraway stars. The thin air was choking her, Mara knew it was do or die. Doing the only thing she could, Mara let go. Her wings were tired, the horns that decorated her head were daunting and she could barely hold them up anymore. Mara began to free fall from the sky, purposely hurling herself toward Ferric. Her speed accelerated quickly when she pulled her wings close to her back and twisted herself in mid-air to face the Earth. She readied her claws. Seeing what she was doing but not sure of her plan, Ferric pumped his wings faster, hurling himself towards his enemy. With Mara falling and Ferric rising, the two crashed into one another like bombs going off over the base. Their bodies twisted into each other with the force. Blood flew upward into Mara's face, sinking her claws deep into Ferric's chest, digging them deeper as they fell. Letting out hellish screams, the duo feel like comets aiming for Perri. Ferric swung his arms, but Mara held her distance from him. Years of her father training her to protect herself were coming through like second nature.  Mara freed her right hand from Ferric's chest; gaping holes lay where her claws dug in. She would slap his punches away and quickly land some of her own. Hit after hit drew more energy from Ferric. Mara thought she may have beaten him. Watching the painted highway came into view, she could see everything from their breathing taking height. The burning pit, her dying mother and swarms of bright lights speeding their way towards the road, her father's goons she assumed. With only a few hundred feet from the ground, Mara slapped Ferric's last attack away and braced herself for impact. Nothing could have prepared either of the Aylytes for the force at which they hit. Landing hard on the highway with unbelievable power, Mara and Ferric's mangled bodies left a crater the size of a house in their wake.  Silence took over for a brief moment, followed by the loud pitch of hum in Mara's ears. Her vision was nearly gone but coming back to a fuzzy haze, and her chest felt like it was just used for batting practice, but she was alive. Violent coughs escaped her lungs, tossing and turning to get on her side. The coal dirt and dust filled the hole she was currently trapped in while she frantically searched for Ferric.  "Where are you?" She thought. Using her hands to feel in front of her but found nothing. "There is no way…" Mara said, shocked. Dragging her wings behind her, she clawed her way to the top of the pit. Her body was worse off now than before, but she had to keep going, Ferric needed to die. Little by little, her vision came back into focus. Her first sight was not what she wanted to see; it was Ferric, at the top of the pit, waiting for her. Grabbing her by the back of her neck and hurling her into a tree, Mara landed hard on her stomach after smashing her back off of the thick trunk. "You know…you're only making your death that much more fun!" Blood oozed from his head.  The wounds on his chest were covered in coal dirt, making it look like thick chunks bubbling from his body. He was limping severely walking to Mara and taking her by one of her horns, she twisted and pulled to get away but it was no use. He drug her across the highway towards the open gateway.  "I don't know if I want to kill you here." Stopping and catching his breath, "Or throw you back and let the others deal with you. It would just be too bad I wouldn't get to watch."  The smile that overtook Ferric's expression was horrifying. Mara landed a few shots to his midsection. Amused, he hoisted her up by her horns, while she was wildly clawing at his forearm to try and break free. "Is that all you got? At least my king begged." He hissed while hanging her over the burning pit. Mara began to chuckled uncontrollably.  "What is so funny about this?" Ferric ordered her to answer. "My king." She laughed. Ferric gave her another confused look. "No matter what you do or what you say…"  She pulled herself up on Ferric's forearms to relieve some of the pressure on her horns.  "You will always be a servant to your Royals!" Mara knew she was at a loss and had no clue how to escape or if she could even survive if he let her go. She started to kick, aiming for his face just coming up short every time. Ferric used his free hand to pin Mara's arms in front of her. She was trapped. If he let go, she had no way to stop herself. The roaring fires from the gateway began to sear her flesh. She held her breath and prepared for the drop that never came.  Instead, she was shoved from behind and back onto the road by a dark-colored blur. Lightning-fast swings caught Ferric in his face forcing him to soar across the highway as another Aylyte brought the fight to him. Mara knew who it was right away, her new friend and protector. Shouting in delight seeing her servant fulfill his duties, "Azel!"  CHAPTER 24 Azel raced frantically through the mountainous terrain of Perri, hunting down Colonel Fief and Goran. Knowing he needed to get into the air, he leaped from tree to tree until he was high enough to spread his wings. Bursting through the treetops, he wasn't far behind them. Fief still hung from Goran's claws, bleeding from his shoulders and trying to break free. Azel could see Fief trying frantically to remove Goran's claws from his collar bones. "Colonel!" Azel shouted, getting the man's attention. Goran looked behind and laughed at Azel like he was no threat. Increasing the distance between them, Goran raced ahead. Azel climbed higher in the sky at a sharp angle. He could see the last worried looked on Fief's face. The man was fighting to stay conscious. Racing to get higher, he kept his eyes on Goran. Reaching an altitude that would work, Azel quickly changed direction and started hurling himself at the pair at tremendous speed. He knew he couldn't crash into Goran. He could crush the colonel on impact. Thinking quickly, he decided not only to hurt Goran but embarrass him as well. With the distance closing and Goran not paying any attention, Azel took aim and attacked, grabbing onto Goran's left-wing and spun with all of his power. Completely tearing it out of its socket on Goran's back. Only taking seconds, Azel dropped the amputated wing and turned back in time just to catch Colonel Fief, who had been dropped from Goran’s grip. The pair watched the massive Aylyte lose control and spiral down into the trees. Herculean screams came from the dark of the woods, Azel wasted no time to hunt the beast down.  Goran hit the ground with a thud, and blood covered him totally. His screams were endless with the substantial pain he was in from losing his wing. Azel landed not too far from his enemy and hid the colonel in the bushes. Goran spotted Azel and silenced himself.  "I'm going to kill you for this.” He threatened. “You've grounded me." He threatened. "You did this to yourself, Goran." Azel stood tall. "How do you figure that?"  "You follow Ferric. That way lies ruin, and you know it."  Goran wasted no time, he charged at Azel and swung hard, missing him while he dashed by.  "What the…?" Goran stood confused. His target was fast. Azel stood behind Goran, inspecting the grotesque wound he had caused, trying to figure out what was in the bag he carried. "Stop this, Goran. You know you're wrong." Azel pleaded with him. "Looks like you won't be around to see how wrong you are." With his words, Goran swung for Azel's head, missing again, frustrating the skilled warrior.  "Coward!" He shouted. "Attack me than refuse to fight! Look what you did to me!"  Fief was still in the bushes. His arms crossed, trying to put pressure on his wounds. Goran saw him from where he stood and hurried in Fief's direction. The battered man could see the deranged look in the Aylytes eyes and tried to reach for his weapon. Just before Goran would reach Fief he was stopped by a hard thrust to his gut, Azel had placed himself between them. Goran fell back onto his ass, still woozy from his blood loss.  "Stop this, Goran. I'm begging you." Azel's words were calm, and he seemed upset that he even had to fight. Goran would repeatedly swing again and again at Azel, never completing a single blow. Azel was to fast for the beaten beast.  "Why do you protect them? Why do you even care?" Goran huffed out. He knew his energy was nearly gone. "Because they protected me." Azel's words struck a nerve with Goran. He went into a black outrage and began to swing and kick at anything around him. His arms flailed wildly, and he left his body exposed. Azel's speed was driving him even more mad with each swing Goran missed. He crouched on the ground, his single-wing spread wide, covering the bag he desperately needed to protect. "You have the amulets, don't you?" Azel asked. "Ferric and I have one! And soon, we will rule this world!" Goran shouted.  "Give it to me, Goran. We can end this whole thing. Bring order back to our world and this one." Azel held out his hand. "You'll have to kill me first!"  Grabbing Azel's hand, he flipped the Aylyte over his head and slammed him into the ground. Tossing him around like a rag doll, he wouldn't let Azel out of his grip. "You're fast, but I'm smart." Goran brought his face closer to Azel's, smiling that he had finally caught him. The battering seemed never to stop, he smashed Azel from tree to tree, hurting him more with each vicious hit. Azel was trapped; he couldn't seem to shake Goran's grip.  "You decided to protect them, and now you will die for them!" Goran raised his voice in triumph.  Colonel Fief watched from the bushes at Azel's attempt to save his life; something finally broke inside of him. He knew he could trust the Aylyte that would protect his life. Crawling out from the brush, the thorn bushes attached themselves to his wool coat. Barely able to move, his pain was excruciating, but he needed to save Azel to save Mara. Grabbing onto anything he could, Fief clawed his way to his feet, hunched over but standing. His hand was shaky, pulling out his gun, but time was running out. Holding the weapon in front of him, he could see the giant build of the Aylytes and took aim. The first blast echoed through the trees, followed quickly by a second blast. Fief could hear the growls of pain watching Goran release Azel from his grip.  "That's two…" Fief grunted out, blood and spit falling from his mouth.  Raising his weapon one last time, he fired his third shot and collapsed to the ground in agony. He watched in glory as Goran fell to his knees then to his side, but dismay took over when Azel followed suit.  "Azel!" Fief screamed, struggling to stand straight. Dizzy, disoriented, and still bleeding, he wobbled his way to the Aylyte holding his chest. Falling to his knees beside Azel, Colonel Fief had seen his mistake.  "Azel. I didn't…" He choked on his words.  "It's ok, colonel. As long as Mara is safe." Azel gurgled out. A bullet wound exploded out of his chest when Fief had shot at Goran. His breathing was shallow, but Goran was finished. He laid before them a heaping mass of what he once was. "Is it dead?" "Injured, but not dead, sir." Azel coughed out.  Fief quickly put his head under Azel's arm and helped him to his feet. His growls of pain vibrated through them. They made their way to Goran's body, Azel crouched down and searched the sack on the beast's shoulder. Pulling out a golden disk that was adorned with a beautiful gem and strange knife-like symbols, his face dropped at the sight of it. "A Gordian Amulet." He exclaimed with wide eyes. Fief watched him for a minute before he interrupted Azel's thoughts. "Come on, Azel. We need to get back." Fief felt terrible about what he had done, Goran was his target, not the Aylyte who saved him.  "Azel, I am sorry," He begged, making their way through the woods. The only thing that gave them any sense of direction was the small glow of the gateway far off in the distance. "You did what needed to be done, colonel." His situation didn't seem to bother Azel. His only mission was Mara.   Still deep in the woods, the moonlight was bright, shining down on them like a spotlight. Azel glanced up and watched the sky in awe.  "It's beautiful, isn't it?" He asked. Fief, still stumbling his way through, looked up confused.  "What?" "The moon," Azel answered, smiling. The pair stopped, and both enjoyed the beautiful moment.  "Ok, Azel. We need to go." He tugged on the beast's arm, but he wouldn't move. Azel's gaze was glued to the sky above.  "Look!" He pointed to the shadows of Mara and Ferric climbing higher into the night. Fief focused his blurry vision and processed what he was seeing.  "Jesus Christ! We need to go! Now Azel!" Fief ordered. The Aylyte didn't move, he watched and waited while Fief left and was trying to fight his way through the woods. Azel held his hand over his heart, the blood was beginning to speed up.  "Azel! Let's go!" He still didn't move, looking over at Fief and than back up, he had lost sight of Mara. "Where is she?" Azel questioned. "I…I don't know, I thought you were watching!" "Something is wrong. I have to go!" The beast could barely stand, but he never gave up on his Royal. Fief grabbed his arm to try and stop him. "Azel, we need a plan!"  “I have a plan. You need your own!" He shouted, never raising his voice in this way before.  Pulling himself away from Fief, the ground shook under them. A powerful explosion was heard from the highway, and everything seemed to go silent for a brief moment. The two stood in the moonlight, dumbfounded at what they saw and heard. "What the f**k was that?" Asked the colonel. He watched Azel's face change from worried to complete anger, he stood tall and turned to Fief, grabbing him by his arms and looking him in his eyes. "Are you well enough to find your way?" Azel asked. "Yes. Why?" "Colonel Fief, I have to leave you."  "Azel, I don't think that's a good idea." Fief pleaded. "I must." Placing the amulet into Fief's hand, he looked him in the eyes. "You must protect this at all costs. And do not let Ferric get ahold of it." With his last words, Azel was gone, leaving Colonel Fief to make it back on his own.  Minutes later, Azel stepped onto the highway. What had unfolded in his absence was incredible. He searched frantically for Mara, finding her tucked on the side of the road. Making her way to her mom and using her body to protect Dot from the hellish battle that was happening before them. Azel watched Ferric take a beating from an unknown Aylyte. Fearing who it was or what they wanted, he made his way to Mara. "Azel!?" Mara screeched, puzzled thinking he was fighting Ferric. "What are you doing here?" "Fief is safe. Now I need to protect you." He struggled to answer. "Well, if you're here. Then who is that?"  Mara asked pointing to the new Aylyte. Catching glances of the mystery beast, Azel's mind seemed to play tricks on him, thinking he was seeing an old friend. Stopping for a moment, he watched the fight closely, getting a better look at the glorious Aylyte. Great joy seemed to fill him when he confirmed just who he was seeing,  "Queen Nija?"  CHAPTER 25 The dark purple skin of the mysterious Aylyte sparkled like diamonds in the full moon. Her hits on Ferric were swift and well calculated, he seemed to be falling behind the more punches landed. Mara couldn't take her eyes off the fight. She was stunned by what she was witnessing. Crouching over Dot's nearly lifeless body, Mara would do anything to protect her mom.  Out in the middle of the highway, Ferric's face was swollen and bruising from his attackers blows. The mystery Aylyte was graceful on her feet, her horns were like magnificent sculptures from Ancient Rome. She was the most elegant and beautiful thing Mara had ever seen. The wings that decorated her back were as gorgeous as they were deadly, using them to whip Ferric in the face and trip him off of his feet. Her hair nearly matched the color of her skin and draped over her chest. Mara only wished she knew who this new Aylyte was and if she could trust her.  "How are you even here?" Ferric snapped at Queen Nija. Charging at her and swinging wildly, missing her once again. "That is none of your concern, Ferric." She answered with a power in her voice.  "Typical Royal. Never have an answer for anything." Ferric grunted. "We have them, Ferric; they're just not for your feeble mind."  Her words enraged him even more, roaring into the night and stomping at the queen. She held her ground this time, lifting her leg and connecting with his midsection, he flew over her knee in a mass of tears.  "Did you think this would work?" She asked curiously.  Coughing out blood, Ferric pushed himself off of his back, never taking his gaze off of the queen.  "As a matter of fact, I do." Sneering at her. Standing tall, he could see into the brush just off the side of the highway. Spotting Mara, Ferric thought of a way to use her to get away. A sinister smile crawled across his face, and he charged at the queen once again. Queen Nija crouched and readied herself for the attack, but it never came, Ferric darted for Mara instead. Nija seen Ferric's plan to late, she watched helplessly while he snatched her up by her neck, crushing her throat so that she couldn't breathe. Azel tried to catch him before he could grab Mara, but his wounds were catching up to him, he collapsed into the bushes before he could reach them. "Let her go, Ferric!" Nija ordered. He laughed at her words and slowly crept towards the burning gateway. Mara struggled to break free but was only tiring herself out.  "I don't take orders from you anymore!" Squeezing tighter on Mara's neck.  "You're still a guard of the Kunai Kingdom, Ferric." Using his free hand, he pointed his huge clawed directly at the queen.  "You know my king is dead." "Yes. You killed him!" Nija's words were cold. Ferric closed his eyes and lowered his head.  "He killed my mate…and my child. He deserved to die."  "That's not your decision, Ferric. You serve your Royals." Nija took a few steps towards him while Ferric had his eyes closed.  "You mean like her?" He brought Mara's face to his nose. "The last Royal born?" He snickered. Nija's face grew distraught. Mara gave the strange Aylyte a look while struggling to breathe.  "She has done nothing to you, Ferric." "The myths back home are true! The last Royal born! Lives to save Torrid from itself!"  His voice was like a madman, foaming at his lips. He looked down and searched Mara's wrists, looking for the bracelet.  "Where is it!" Screaming his orders to Mara, demanding she hand over the trinket.  "Put her down, Ferric!" Nija screamed. She watched him lift Mara higher above his head. The bright fires stretched their shadows across the road.  "How did you get here? Where is your amulet?" Ferric ordered. "Where is that bracelet!" His cold, sunken eyes glistened in the dark light of the fires. He had lost control of himself.  "Put her down. I won't repeat myself again."  Ferric ignored everything around him. He was fixated on the dying Mara in his hand, trying to force the answers he wanted out of either of them, watching while Mara scratched and kicked at him, barely leaving any marks on the heavily scarred beast. Mara could see the madness in his eyes. The flickering fires illuminated his insanity.  "Won't give me any answers? Then you are useless!"  Turning entirely to the gateway, he held Mara over the pit. The heat began to sear her flesh once again. Her screams were like knives in Nija's heart. Ferric smiled, dropping Mara into the hellish gateway. Frozen in fear, she didn't know what was going to happen to her, or if she would even survive the trip. "Where am I going? Is this going to hurt?"  Mara couldn’t focus on one thing or another trying to escape. Mara's fall into the unknown was stopped by another blue blur dashing across Ferric's feet and snatching her before she could reach the flames. The duo crashed and rolled on the roadway, coming to a stop next to Dot's unconscious body. Ferric looked at the gateway, thinking to see Mara suffering, but he only saw flames, Azel moved too quickly for Ferric to comprehend what he was seeing.   "What?" The beast asked, confused. Nija wasted no time and sprinted for Ferric, her quickness almost matched Azel's. She was catching him in the back of his neck, knocking him off balance and sending him to his knee. Not missing the opportunity, she landed more punches and kicks. By the end of her barrage, Ferric laid broken. Nija stood next to him, knowing she had won. His breathing was heavy, and his cuts were deep.  Away from the action, Mara was holding Azel on her lap, softly crying to herself.  "Forgive me…your highness…if I hurt you." He managed to huff out, his gunshot wound taking its toll on him.  "Azel?" Mara choked with tears in her eyes.  "Colonel Fief…is…safe." He said, trying to smile through his pain. The fighting was now second to Azel. Mara wasn't even paying attention to it anymore. Tears began to flow from Mara's eyes, scooping him into her arms, using her wings as a barrier from the craziness next to them.  "What happened?"  "Goran was…winning." A heavy breath left his lungs. "Fief did…what needed…" "To be done." She interrupted him. "Ok, I believe you, you don't need to speak." Wiping blood from his face, Azel made his head comfortable in Mara's lap and closed his eyes. He was tired. Mara sobbed quietly, placing her hand over his wound. Discomfort erupted from Mara's chest; she flinched in pain but never removed her hand from her friend's injury. Seconds felt like hours, and minutes felt like months. Azel began to blink and fight in Mara's lap like he was having a bad dream. His groans were heavy, and his energy and spirit came flooding back to him. Looking up, he could see Mara, weak, and about to collapse.  "Your highness!" Catching her before she could fall, laying her down on the ground. "What…what happened?" Mara asked. Azel brushed the hair from her face. "I don't know your majesty." His answer was truthful and straightforward, and Mara loved that about him.  Without their knowledge, Nija had watched what had happened between Mara and Azel. Making her way to the pair, Nija could hear the young Aylyte ask,  "You were dying! What happened?"  Waiting in the shallow shadows before she answered, Nija admired Mara and her strength from afar before finally speaking. "You're a healer, child." A sweet voice came from her. Nija had made her way to Mara's side. Azel quickly rolled to his knees, knowing the Aylyte in front of him. "Queen Nija. I thought you were dead!" His sobbing was even choking up Mara. The queen wrapped her hands around Azel's shoulders, helping him to his feet. The two shared a long gaze and embraced in a joyous hug.  "It's nice to see a familiar face, Azel!" Nija greeted him with a sincere happiness. They shared a monumental embrace, laughing with glee at the sight of one another. "Have you been the one helping my Mara?"  "I haven't been much help, my queen. We have only met hours ago."  "She's alive because of you, and you're alive because of her." They smiled and held each other again. Mara was still on the ground, not knowing what exactly was going on. Nija released Azel and gave him a broad smile, making her way to Dot she reached for her neck. Mara jumped at her, crouching over Dot with her wings spread out, ready to attack. Nija showed no fear towards Mara. She knew her child was protective of her family. Azel passed his queen swiftly and quickly knelt next to Mara.  "Your highness, she is not going to hurt her. I promise." He pleaded. Nija looked deeply into Mara's dark eyes, lightly brushing her cheek, and looking upon her with infinite love. "It's ok, child." She pulled Mara's forehead to hers, holding it for a few seconds. Immediately, Mara was filled with warmth and the feeling of love.  Letting go, Nija leaned over Dot and gently unclasped the beautiful necklace falling from her neck, she looked to both Mara and Azel and made her way back to Ferric's bloody body. Azel helped Mara to her feet, they could see General Ganges coming aware from his injuries.  "Dad!" She yelled, rushing to his side.   Nija stood by Ferric; he was still cursing and spitting at her from the ground.  "You will answer for your crimes, Ferric. But not here" She paused, looking over the once-mighty guard, now a quivering heap of blood and fear.  "You will pay in our world." Bending down and picking up her enemy by his face, crushing his cheeks in her powerful grip, Nija showed no mercy. Remembering what he did to Mara a moment ago. Holding him in suspension, she studied his face, remembering every little detail, every scar that was there and every new one she had given him. She enjoyed watching the flames torch his skin,  "Goodbye, Ferric."  "I'll see you soon." He smirked at her.  Releasing her grip, the once-powerful beast fell in, grabbing at the painted roadway, trying desperately not to drop any deeper. Nija enjoyed the look of absolute terror in Ferric's eyes, enjoying him clawing for his life.  Admiring the wondrous necklace one last time before tossing it into the pit, it was surely a sight to see. The beautiful gem swirling more now than ever, and the diamonds shimmered from the fires. Nija felt terrible to destroy such a marvelous piece, but it was for Mara, she would do anything for her. Lazily tossing the jeweled necklace into the gateway, almost immediately a thick ooze formed all around the burning pit. It began to consume Ferric instantly, he tried even harder to escape it. His terrible screams filled the night. Cursing and begging, he was trying anything to stay here. Trying to pull the sticky goo off of his skin, it only worsened with every struggle. It torched his flesh and grew thicker every time he tried to remove it. Nija stood like a statue witnessing Ferric's punishment. He deserved it.   General Ganges tried jumping to his feet, grabbing onto Mara and Azel for balance, demanding to see Nija.  "I have to go talk to her." Mara reached for her father's coat.     "Dad, wait!" She cried, watching him hold his ribs and limp to the queen. Utter confusion came over Mara and Azel as they watched Nija and the general hug each other in a loving frenzy.  All around, powerful engines could be heard racing through town, and everyone knew they were heading to the highway. Mara made her way to her dad, slowly and cautiously, Azel was right behind her. He greeted her when she was closer.  "Mara, I need you to meet someone." Nija stood shyly in front of her daughter, Mara waited in suspense.  "This is your mother." Her father’s words cracked with a nervous excitement. "Hello, Mara." Nija was excellent at hiding her excitement. Their introduction was cut short by bright headlights and roaring engines coming down the abandoned highway.  "Sorry to interrupt, but I think we need to do something about that." Azel pointed to Mara, still in her Aylyte form.  "General, quick, the Naramek!" Nija ordered.  The man reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the gold bracelet, handing it over to Nija.  "Mara, I promise I will answer all of your questions, but right now, we both need to go."   Mara could only shake her head in agreement while Nija placed the bracelet on her wrist. Falling to her knees, she began to change instantly. Her wings shrunk and disappeared into her back. Her tan skin quickly returned, her dagger-like claws were back to her soft human hands. Doing her best to hide the pain, it was still too much for her. Nija kneeled on the ground and met eyes with Mara, holding her by the chin.  "I will see you soon, child." Touching foreheads again, Mara felt a rush of love go through her. Nija sprinted to Dot's body, looking back at Mara as she vanished into a lavender-colored mist that swirled around Dot. Mara was overwhelmed at the events around her to see Nija disappear the way she did. Major Gladii had made his way to the general from one of the trucks, looking over at Mara in her tattered clothes.  "Oh, you're gonna be a fun one, huh?" He joked, pushing the generals buttons. "That's enough, Gladii." The general barked. Tossing his coat over Mara's shoulders.  "Azel, I think it's time you hide too." Forgetting he was in his half form, Azel changed back to the regular Peterson just as the entire highway flooded with F.E.A guards and trucks. Dozens of masked soldiers stormed the area. Colonel Fief was making his way out of the woods, blood soaking through his coat, but he was alive.  "Listen up!" A group of guards lined up in front of him. "There is a wounded Aylyte about sixty meters in. I want him recovered alive!"  "Yes, sir!"  The F.E.A. guards shouted, dispersing in all directions. Fief looked frantically for his son, ignoring any medical help, and frantically finding Roman who was already being worked on by paramedics. He made it to his son with haste and hugged the unconscious boy tightly in his arm. The medics assured him that Roman would be ok. The amulet Azel had given him was still in a tight grip in Fief’s hand.  General Ganges held Mara close, and they hugged like never before. After a brief moment, the pair made their way to Dot, now sitting up on her elbows in the mud. "Mom!" Mara cried, sliding in the dirt and embracing her mother.  "I'm so sorry this happened, sweetie." Dot begged to her daughter. General Ganges waited his turn to hug his wife. His body ached when he crouched down to hold her in his arms. Whispering into her ear,  "My heart." "My soul." Dot answered back without missing a beat. "My life." He continued with tears in his eyes. "My love." Dot answered weakly, and he knew that she was going to be ok.   Mara held on to her parents. Her father struggled to stand again and watched everything that was unfolding on the highway. Hundreds of people consumed the area, strange equipment was pulled from trucks, and everyone wore one of those odd masks.  "Dad?" Mara asked, crouching down and holding Dot's hand. "Yes, sweetheart?" "Everything is going to change, huh?" Her dad let out a few chuckles and looked down to her, "It already has kiddo." CHAPTER 26 A few days had passed since the night of the highway. Mara hadn't talked to anyone besides her dad or government officials since, and she was getting tired of it. Standing out front of Roman's hospital room, she took a few deep breaths. It was her last day in, and she still hadn't been allowed to see her friends. A pair of her F.E.A. guards stationed outside of his room, after what everyone had been through, Mara understood. Her wounds were superficial and healed quickly. It did bother her that both Annie and Roman were still in the hospital all because of her.  "What am I supposed to say?" She thought to herself.  Pushing down on the door handle, Mara slowly walked in. Before she could even look at Roman, a softcover book of Tuck Everlasting slammed hard against the wooden door, just missing her face.  "What the fu…Mara!" Annie's shrill voice pierced through Roman, covering his ears at the harsh noise.  Mara stood in the hall frozen, never hearing Annie sound like that. One of the guards made a move, and Mara stopped them quickly.  "No! It's ok!" Placing her hand on the guard's arm. "She has a right to be pissed." The guard studied her through the strange mask awhile before returning to their stance. "You're not gonna throw anything else, are you?" Mara talked through a crack in the door. "I'll throw the bed if I feel like it!" Annie shouted.  "The hell you will!" Roman screamed, leading to the girls sharing a laugh. "Come in, Mar. I promise I won't hurt you."     Pursing her lips, Mara rubbed her palm and walked into the room. Roman was lying in his bed, I.V.'s in his arms and monitors attached everywhere. He looked like a weak kitten with the sleep in his eyes. Mara's heart skipped a beat. He was severely bruised, and stitches covered his face. Always having a little crush on Roman, but never telling him, Mara wanted to now, but it wasn't the right time. Annie stood on the other side of the room. Arms crossed with a hard glare. Her light blue hospital socks were grungy looking, but she had a freshly washed robe hanging off of her shoulder. Mara could tell her tune-up was helping with her C.F.  "Hi, guys." She said nervously. "I'm getting released today, and I finally was allowed to visit." A stupid smile was stuck on her face. Roman opened his arms for a hug, grinning wildly at her.  "Don't squeeze too hard." He said jokingly, Mara rushing to him, tears falling down her cheeks. The two friends tightly hugged before Annie jumped on the bed and joined the group. The three friends sat intertwined in each other's arms, loud sobs from the fear of what they had all been through filled the room.  "I am so sorry!" Mara howled before losing her voice. She could feel Roman's grip tightened on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mar." He pleaded to her. Lifting his head and kissing both girls on top of theirs. Wiping their eyes, they looked blankly at nothing for a minute before Annie broke the silence. "What the hell is going on?" Annie spoke softly, both looking to Mara with curiosity. Her eyes were puffy and red; she wiped them again and tried to explain what she knew. "Well…" A forced laughed left her mouth. "Apparently, I am some sort of Royal Aylyte, which is what you both seen, but I can hide here as a human with this thing." Motioning to her wrist and her beautiful bracelet. Confusion consumed her friend's faces. They weren't sure to believe her or not.  "Mar…like seriously, what are we supposed to say? Or think?" Annie blurted out. Looking to the floor, Mara almost felt ashamed of what she was.  "You saved my life, Mar." Annie grabbed her friend’s hand and squeezed tightly, Roman smiled and let them have their moment.  "I would have been dead, Mar. No one knew where Ro and I were." Tilting her head back, Mara couldn't stop herself from losing control. "I was so scared, Annie." Mara was tired of crying, but it relieved some of the stress building inside her.  "I've never seen you that bad." Annie squeaked loudly, jumping on Mara and squeezing her like never before. "I've never been that bad outside of a hospital. I'd be dead without you." Holding each other tight, Annie muttered into Mara's ear. "How did you do it?" Mara let out a cry filled laugh,  "I have no idea!" Bursting into a giggle fit, Mara couldn't control herself. Her friends joined in, and for a little while, everything was normal. When the laughs died away, Mara looked to Roman, half worried and half smitten.   "Can I ask you a question, Ro?"  "Sure." He whispered, his green eyes shining off the fluorescent lighting.  "What was it like?" Asking cautiously. "What? Ferric?" Mara shook her head, yes, Annie's eyes darted from Mara to Roman, over and over. He sat up grunting in the bed, struggling with his broken left arm and fractured hip.  "It's …like…being buried alive." He stammered. "Like, no one knows you're there, and you know you can't get out."  Mara broke down again, covering her face with her hands, Annie following suit. "Stop. Mara, you saved my life too." He pulled her in to try and calm her. "Thank you."  She rested her head on Roman's shoulder and watched Annie try and save any of her eyeliner. Annie caught Mara's stare and began making kissy faces at her. Shooting her a death glare, Annie chuckled to herself.  A soft knock came from the door, and a young nurse walked in, pushing a cart. "Hey, Roman." He chirped.  "Hey, Doug," Roman replied happily. Doug readied a needle while Mara and Annie watched their nervous friend twitch in his seat. "Oh, Roman, that's gonna go right in your eye!" Annie shouted, Mara, laughing while the poor boy gagged.  "Oh, stop it!" Doug playfully stated. "It's going in your I.V., but this is going to knock him out. So you may wanna say your goodbyes, girls."  Plunging the needle into one of the lines, a cold shiver from the medicine sent Roman into a quick spasm. The girls stood from the bed and started to say their goodbyes. Roman's mother, Callie, walked in just in time to see them.  "Mara! Annie!" She shouted, taking each girl into an arm. A handsome young boy followed her closely. Just as tall as Roman but blonde hair and a muscular build. He seemed shy, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Callie made her way to Roman's side and placed a loving kiss on his forehead, running her fingers in his hair.  "I just gave him a sedative, Mrs. Callie," Doug said softly, cleaning up his mess.  "Thank you, Doug." Her voice was soothing and loving. "Honey?" She looked at her son, knowing his medicine was taking its toll on him.  "Yes, mama." Roman cracked a huge smile.  "I found him. He got lost on the other side of the hospital."  "Thank you, mom," Roman answered, trying not to tear back up. Callie motioned for the new boy to come over and see Roman. The girls just stood by the door flabbergasted.  "Excuse me." He said, scooting passed them, Annie stood with her arms crossed and Mara watched with squinting eyes. She nudged Annie with her elbow. The two exchanged strange facial expressions until they went back to watching the peculiar boy. Never looking away while he sat next to Roman, petting his hair. "Hey." He whispered and stuttered, choking back his tears. Roman let loose another colossal smile, pushing his forehead against the boy's cheek. He sat down and held Roman in a half hug with his eyes fire engine red. Callie walked over to Mara and Annie and held them both firmly. She could tell they were astounded at what they were watching.  "Girls, this handsome young man here is Scott." She said smiling, watching her son getting loopier from the medicines.   Mara nor Annie spoke a word, they gave a simple wave with their jaws hanging open.  "Roman, would you like to say anything?" Callie asked. Roman sank his head into the boy's chest, smiling at his best friends. "Scott is my…" His eyes widened and he made a silly face, building the suspension, although the girls had already figured it out.  "BOYFRIEND! Oooh!" Roman twisted a single finger in the air in celebration before laying his head hard on his pillow. Burying his face in his hands, Roman sobbed to himself, Scott now holding him with both arms.  "You have no idea how good that feels to get out!" He shouted with his arms flailing wide open, Annie and Mara dashed over to hold him.  "Congratulations!" Annie shouted in happiness for her friend. Mara loved seeing Roman in a new way.  "When did this all happen, Ro?" Mara asked curiously, squeezing his hand in excitement. Roman was rubbing his eyes, trying to fight off sleep.  "After," A great yawn blocked his words. "After all, of…this." Pointing to himself and the girls. "I decided I wasn't going to hide anymore. And being forced to hide in my own body the past few days, I didn't like it." Scott's face squinted in confusion. "I thought it was a car accident, Roman? What are you talking about?"  Mara, Roman, and Annie looked at one another, trying to hide their shock. Roman forgot all about Scott, not knowing the truth of what happened, but Callie jumped in quickly and reminded everyone about the medicine and how he might get a little goofy. The kids breathed a sigh of relief when Scott shrugged everything off.  "Well, you never had to hide with us," Mara announced, giving his hand another squeeze.  "After this, I'm not hiding; I'm happy! I'm finally happy!"  They watched Roman fall backward again, his head hitting the soft pillow behind him. Everyone shared a laugh at Roman while Scott made himself comfortable in the chair next to the bed. Callie motioned the girls to go to the door, she followed close behind them.   "Scott, you take care of my boy. I'm going to walk the girls out." Callie's voice had a cheerful tone.  "I will. Thank you, Ms. Callie." Scott said, smiling at Roman's mom. "Mary! Anna!" Roman couldn't get his words right, trying to say goodbye to the girls. "We'll do lunch! Call me!"  Mara and Annie couldn't hold back the laughter watching their friend try desperately even to speak. “No, shut up. I will call you!” Roman continued, not knowing what he was trying to say.Waving goodbye, they closed the door behind them and left the boys alone. Outside of the room, they passed the strange guards and made their way down the hall. Stopping in a small corner, Callie gave both girls a worried smile.  "Are you two, ok?" Annie and Mara looked to one another, not sure if Callie knew anything. Mara was the first to speak.  "Ok, about what?"  "Mara, it wasn't a car accident." Callie raised her eyebrows. "I know everything."  "What!" Mara shouted causing everyone around them to give them a harsh look.  "I'm sorry, Mara, but the colonel is my husband." They stood in silence for a moment before Callie asked again, "So, are you two, ok?" "Not really. I still have a ton of questions." Mara was in a shrill whisper and Annie shook her head in agreement. "Like what the hell! No one could have warned me, or even us, about this!" Failing her arms in the air, Callie and Annie watched her with grins, trying not to lose their composure.  "I'm sorry, but it's true! Who else knows?" Running her fingers in her hair, huffing and breathing deep. Callie brushed Mara's hair out of her face, and Annie rubbed her arm, they both had no idea what she was going through. From down the hall, General Ganges made his way to his daughter. His face was badly bruised, he walked with a limp, and his arm was in a sling. No one got in his way. He walked alone, and even with his current injuries, he walked with purpose. Only Callie noticed him coming up from behind them.  "Hello, Rolly."  "Hello, Callie." Even speaking seemed to cause him discomfort. "How is Andrew?"  "A lot of pain and he'll be down for a few weeks. Doctors aren't sure the severity of the wounds just yet, though." Her words took courage to say without crying. The General could see her trying to hold herself together, placing his hand on her shoulder, trying to console her. "He's a fighter, Cal. You know that." She smiled at him and cleared her throat. "If you ladies wouldn't mind, I was informed I'm allowed to take my daughter home."  "But, we just got her back!" Annie joked, wrapping her arms tightly around Mara. Callie playfully pried the girls apart, planting a kiss on Mara's head, pulling the girls in closer to talk in a whisper. "Can we keep Roman's little secret…a secret, for right now? You know his father." Without a hiccup, Mara and Annie's heads were shaking in sync. "Absolutely!" They answered Callie, giving them a wink.  "Come on, Annie, I'll walk you back to your room. Mara, say hi to your mom for me." Annie skipped down the hall with Callie out of sight of Mara and her father.  "How are you, sweetie?" He asked. Mara was still trying to piece everything together.  "Confused would be the easiest answer I could give you, dad." Sharing a laugh, the pair walked down the hall slowly, making their way to the giant truck waiting out front. Mara held onto her dad close, she could tell his pain was catching back up with him.  "Dad?"  "Yes, sweetie?" "Where are we going?"  General Ganges made his way to the hospital's sliding glass doors, leaning on them to take a break before their drive home. He was tired and sore.  "You know, Mara, this is the first time I think my age has finally caught up with me."  No response from his daughter, Mara's eyes were looking out in front of the hospital. Where the gigantic tank of a truck was waiting for her and her father, turning to her dad, she took him by his hand and helped him outside.  With the large caravan idling loudly enough to make the ground rumble under everyone's feet. The day’s had seemed to melt together for Mara, still trying to process what and who she was, completely forgetting what day it was. Her father had reached the back passenger's door to Mara's amazement. "Not driving?" The man gave her a very peculiar look.  "Do I look like I'm in any shape to drive? Better yet, do I look like I'm in shape enough to drive this thing?" Slapping the thick doors, enjoying a chuckle before the pain set back in. Mara helped her dad into the truck and waited for him to get comfortable. Walking around to the other side, she was met by a pleasant voice.  "Hello, beautiful." Major Gladii was waiting by the door to help her inside. Wearing his standard black uniform with his unit scattered around the hospital grounds. Hearing his words, Mara blushed embarrassed. "Hello, major." She managed to squeak out.  "I told you, Mara, it's Jayce." Offering the bright red girl his hand. She took it with a firm grip and heaved herself into the truck. "How was your stay?"  "Too long, I just wanna get home." Jayce looked to Mara's dad. "General. How are you feeling, sir?" He asked with worry and respect in his voice. "I'll be better once a certain officer knows my daughter is off-limits." Mara's face turned even brighter at the sight of Jayce's smiling. "Dad!"  "I'm sorry I stepped out of line, sir." He answered quickly. "Yet somehow, I know you're going to keep doing it, huh?" The general was joking with the young man, and it made Mara look at him in a new way. Never in a million years would she ever think her father be ok with one of his men trying to flirt with his daughter.  "You got me there, sir." Jayce laughed. General Ganges fidgeted it his seat getting comfortable, looking over files while Mara and the young major chatted for a few minutes. "What are you doing here?" She asked. "I'm your driver." He stated proudly, only furthering Mara's embarrassment.  "Sweet." She immediately regretted her choice of words. "Hey. Remember back in The Mine. I asked you why the Aylytes were going crazy when they saw me?"  Jayce nodded his head with squinted eyes.  "You said you had no idea why they were freaking out." Brushing her hair behind her ear, she gave him an innocent look. "Why did you lie?"  His smile was infectious when he answered.  "To be honest, Mara, I knew what you were, but I didn't know how much you knew at the time. It was a lot to take. I didn't want to freak you out even more." Trying to process is answer, Mara's thoughts were interrupted by the major's words.  "Plus, you're cute, and it gave me more reasons to keep talking to you."   Mara tried to hide the stupid donkey laugh that exploded from her mouth, but it was too late. She sat in the seat washing in embarrassment, Jayce was enjoying the show, trying his hardest not to blush himself. Mara stole a few seconds worth of looks before he spoke again, "Watch your feet, Mara. We'll be at your house in a few minutes." He shut the heavy door behind him and locked it tight. Mara looked all over the interior. It was magnificent. A rolling office with lavish bells and whistles. Sinking into the soft seats, she finally relaxed for the first time in days. General Ganges reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a birthday card, handing it over to her. "Happy birthday, sweetheart." He said warmly. Her face dropped in shock and fear, not paying attention to what today was, it felt as if the days were flying by her so fast. "I didn't even realize…" Her words were interrupted by the lump in her throat. Placing her face in her hands, she let a few tears fall, her dad reached across the seat and held her hand.  "Sixteen. Guess that means you can start driving, huh?" He hated seeing his little girl, upset. "Stop." She giggled through her words. The truck began to move, and the loud idling and roaring engines couldn't be heard from inside. "Dad?" "Yes, honey?"  "Where are we going?" Never looking at her father, she focused on the birthday card sitting in her lap. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him fighting the pain from the battle on the highway. It was plastered all over his face. After a minute, he took in a deep breath and released a loud grunt.  "Well." He paused. "I want you to meet your mother." Laughing at his own words, pressing the bridge of his nose between his fingers.  "I guess I want you to meet your real mother." Mara smiled wide and leaned her head back in the seat, her excitement radiated through her that she was about to meet her real mother. CHAPTER 27 Major Gladii turned the massive truck up Stanwood Lane, the road to Mara’s home. She watched the old firehouse at the bottom of the hill pass them by, a reminder of what the town used to be, its large bay doors were cracking and beginning to age rapidly. It reminded her of the church, and what might happen to it now. Mara started to take deep breaths, holding each one longer than the previous one. Her nerves were getting the better of her.  “Are you alright, sweetheart?” Her father could read her like a book.  “What am I supposed to say?” Her shrieks startling her dad. “Seriously. What the hell…am I supposed to say? Ask? Do!” She shook in anticipation, which only worsened the closer they got to home. He watched her with awe, seeing her grow up so fast over the past few days walloped him.  “Sweetheart.” He paused, not knowing what to say, which was a first for him.  “Just be yourself. Nija will love you, she already does.” They both sat back, watching the house come into view. Mara hadn’t seen her home since the attacks; the condition of the home took her breath away. “What happened?” She ordered. “Well, the day all of this happened, you were in your room.” Her dad was looking at the house with a fire in his eyes. Your mom was getting groceries from the car when she was attacked. You, I’m told, smashed through your window, ready to kick some ass. Do you remember any of this?” He asked. “No. I remember looking for my phone, and everything went blank after that.” Mara answered with her eyes closed tightly. He reached over and grabbed her hand.  “It’s ok.”  “What happened?” The general looked ahead and knew they only had a few minutes.  “Three Aylytes attacked your mother, and from what she has told me about what happened here, the Aylytes didn’t stand a chance against you, kiddo.” Pride radiated from his voice. Squeezing her hand tighter, he knew she was able to protect herself, let alone anyone else. ”You burst through your window and took off fighting.”  “Burst through my window,” Mara muttered, shaking her head up and down. “Where’s the tree?” The white oak tree that dominated their front yard was no more. The one reminder was now a dirt-covered patch in the yard.  “You broke an Aylyte with it.” The general answered comically. “You threw one with such power. Its body snapped when it hit the tree, taking the tree down with it.”  Mara wrinkled her forehead and looked to her feet, watching her toes wiggle in her flip flops.  “You fought them off, killing them all. I was on the phone with your mother when it happened, or I wouldn’t have had a clue.” Sadness crept into the general’s voice.  “I don’t remember any of this. Why?” With a smooth roll, the giant black truck came to a stop out front of their home, and her father grabbed a phone tucked away in one of the seats. Mara could hear Jayce on the other end, separate from her compartment.  “Major, give us a few moments, will you?” Hanging up the phone and scooting to the edge of his seat, rubbing the center of his palm.  “Mara, I don’t have all the answers for you. That’s why I think it’s better if you and Nija talk face to face.”   Stealing a glance over his shoulder, Mara sat with a wide expression. Glaring at her home, it seemed the same but different. Her bedroom window was brand new, with the stickers still stuck fast. The destroyed grass was covered in seeds and hay, desperately trying to cover up what had happened. Mara laughed to herself, knowing the grass would never grow, the fires that destroyed the town kill everything. A strange sensation washed over her when she saw her old tire swing that hung from the tree, tossed away on the sidewalk for trash. Immediately the memories flooded her head. It upset her because it was gone but not for her, but for her mom. Dot always had a hard time thinking about cutting it down, even after years of neglect. “Where’s Azel?”  Mara asked, never looking at her dad. “The Mine.” “Dad!” Shouting at him. “Not as a prisoner, sweetheart. We need to move him around. He made a bit of a scene in the control room, so we were putting something together.” His words were honest.  “Trying a new drill or something, I don’t know.” Placing his face in his hands, he watched Mara’s eyes dart back and forth, her mind racing over every little detail.  “Why did you set up the church?” “Your safety.” He answered.  “Why?” Mara seemed angry. General Ganges sat back in the plush seat and traced his tongue across his teeth.      “Because we love you, Mara. No matter what happens, you are our daughter.” He smiled at the memories of her as a child. “The church was just rotting, and since it was part of the Perri takeover, I could watch over it all the time.”  Mara hung her head and buried her chin in her chest,  “Thank you.” A brief silence loomed in the truck before the general broke the tension. “Think you’re ready for all of this, kiddo?”  “Do I look ready?” Mara looked up from her chest quickly with puffy red eyes and a quivering chin.      “No.” Letting out a soft chuckle.  “But hell, neither am I.” Mara was taken aback at his words, watching him pick up the phone again,  “Major, we’re ready.” Before the call ended, both of their doors had swung open with a mighty swoosh. Mara looked down at the major and smiled. Worried at what was about to come, she took her time climbing out of the truck, squeezing Jayce’s hand a little harder with each passing second. Shutting the massive door, he tried to calm Mara.  “You alright?” He asked. “Why does everyone keep asking me that!” Throwing her hands up in defeat. The Major let out an irresistible smile and bowed his head in embarrassment.      “I mean…come on. With…all…of this.” His wild fingers were pointing at Mara up and down, hinting at her Aylyte secret. “I’m kidding, Jayce.” “Hey! You didn’t call me, major!” They both laughed hard. It was a pleasant sensation for both. “I’m taking it a day at a time, I guess. It’s all too much to think about at once.” “If you ever need to talk about anything. You can call me if you want.” Placing a small business card in her hand with a phone number scribbled on the back. Mara felt weak in her knees, and her head felt flushed. Leaning her butt on the truck, she tried her best to conceal her excitement.  “Cool. I will.” Nodding her head like a bully from an 80’s movie. “Mara?” Her father’s voice called out. He had given her enough time with the major, and they had bigger fish to fry.  “Sorry, dad.” Meeting him at the end of the driveway, holding hands, they made their way to the house. Mara shook the whole time uncontrollably. Everything was different. Everything felt different, even smelled different. She was wondering to herself if anything is ever going to be somewhat normal again.  Distracted with looking over the destruction of the house, Mara never noticed her mom slowly make her way onto the porch. Dot had only been home a few hours before her daughter, but she knew that what they needed to discuss had waited long enough. Dot stood patiently until Mara’s gaze finally looked to her. Freezing in her tracks when she saw her mother, the last time Mara had seen her, she was nearly unrecognizable at the gateway. Mara knew she was still in severe pain but wore a smile like she did every day. General Ganges pulled Mara in and planted a kiss on the top of her head.  “You go ahead, sweetie.” Mara looked up to him, crying again. He wiped her tears and squeezed her cheek. “Anything that happens, we are always here for you.”  “Where are you going?” Mara asked curiously. “I have to go meet with some big wigs, and you know the drill.” Rolling his eyes playfully and nodding towards his wife, Mara made her way to Dot, who was enjoying the sunshine to the porch, looking at everything but her mom. Only when Dot touched her daughter’s arm did Mara finally look at her.  “Hi, sweetheart.” Her voice was soft and sweet. A warm feeling came over her when she heard her words.  “Mom.” Sinking her head into Dot’s shoulder, holding the woman tight. “I haven’t seen you since the night of the highway.” “I know.” She held her daughter in her arms like it was the first time they had met. In a strange way, it almost was. “I wish you didn’t have to see me like that.”   Their embrace brought a tear to the general’s eye while he limped back to his truck and headed back to work; he knew his ladies were safe. Turning back to the house once more in time to see Dot blowing him a kiss and a wink. “I’m sorry, Mara.” Squeezing her like she was her little girl again. Dot took her hand and led Mara into the house, coming to an abrupt stop at the front door. Mara saw this door every day, but not until now did she realize what she was looking at all these years. The heavy and solid walnut door was decorated like a piece of art. Hidden, just out of view, Mara began to see the same symbols she had seen on the gate at The Mine. The strange five-pillar symbol was hiding in plain sight her whole life. Her face lit up with delight, looking to her mom.  “I saw these same symbols in the mountain.” Running her fingers over the deep carvings. Dot stepped behind Mara and played with her hair, half braiding it into a ponytail. “Those, from what the queen has told me.” Mara turned and gave Dot a rather strange gaze. Returning Mara’s look with a smile, she continued. “The queen said they are some sort of protection.”  “Like…spells?” Mara shook at the thought. “More like,” Dot thought hard for a minute before she could word it correctly. “A crest. It tells other Aylytes what kingdom your from, warning any attackers. I guess the ones who came after us never knocked first, huh?” Mara’s tan face was stark white, staring at the blatant clue that was in front of her the whole time.     Inside, the home was inviting with a pleasant aroma in the air. Past the wooden stairs, they made their way into the kitchen. Cheerful yellow paint and family photos dangled from nails all over the hall. Baby blue was the chosen color for the kitchen, matching perfectly to the hummingbird wall border. The large windows always made the room feel huge.  “I figured after everything. You might want some cookies.” Dot said, worried. Mara turned to her mom, burying her face into her shoulder and released days worth of stress and anger, tears rolling down her face, Dot quickly following suit.  “It’ ok, Mara. It’s ok.” She pleaded with her child. Mara pulled away and wiped her face.  “I’m so sick of crying.” She grumbled angrily. Dot played with her hair and brushed it out of her face. “How are you feeling, mom?”  “I’ll be fine, just going to be sore for a while.” “I’m sorry I didn’t stop them.” Mara’s words cracked while Dot rushed in to calm her. “Mara, you saved my life!” Dot could feel her child’s breathing stiffen and shallow, hyperventilating uncontrollably.  “We should have told you sooner about everything.” Rubbing Mara’s back until she could calm down again. Dot knew the day was already wearing on both of them. Placing her arm over her shoulder, Dot led Mara to the back patio. Struggling with the sliding glass door, it would stick halfway, jerking her and tugging at Dot’s wounds. Taking a step outside, the air smelled wonderfully fresh. Tall trees grew like weakening towers around the house, along with pots of rose bushes. Dozens of them Dot frantically kept alive, and the smell was always welcomed. Still leaning into her mom, Mara enjoyed the few moments of peace. Dot’s oversized green Army hoodie was as soft as a blanket. She could have fallen asleep right there. For the first time since she left the hospital, Mara spoke without crying.  “I love you, mom.” Hearing Dot choke up, Mara opened her eyes to a wondrous sight, her head slowly turning upright. She was astonished at the beautiful purple Aylyte standing proud at the end of their yard. Looking up to Dot, Mara was at a loss for words. Her eyes as large as softballs, her jaw nearly hitting the patio. She stood like a statue, never blinking, not wanting to miss anything. Dot nudged Mara and helped her walk down the stone pathway to the end of the yard, never taking her eyes off of her birth mother. Creeping closer, Mara saw Nija’s long, thick hair was braided down her head, not a flailing mess like the night of the highway. Her body was covered in what looked like stunning leather armor, the same crest that decorated the door to the house proudly displayed on her chest plate. It looked like something out of a gladiator battle. Her horns glistened in the sun, shimmering like diamonds in the light. They twisted and curled down to the back of her head. They reminded Mara almost of a ram’s horn. She secretly hoped hers would be just as gorgeous. Nija’s skin was beautiful, lightly touched with the scars of battle over her dark purple skin, but nothing like Goran or Ferric.  Dot stole Mara’s attention from the sight and gave her a final hug, placing their foreheads together and sharing a heartfelt goodbye.  “I’ll be inside if you need anything.” Dot whispered. “I love you, Mara. Always and forever.”  Looking up at Nija, Dot smiled, “Let me know if you need any help.” Sending a friendly wink and making her way back to the kitchen, Dot left the two alone, but not before wishing Mara a happy birthday.  “I’m sorry, sweetie. I couldn’t make it to the store for a gift.” Dot laughed lightly, holding her stomach, wincing in pain.  “Stop, mom.” Mara knew she was kidding but still didn’t want Dot thinking she owed her anything. She watched her mom make her way back to the house slowly. Smiling by herself, Mara stood in the yard with a stranger, and it’s the only place she wanted to be. The wind brought the smell of the burning fires to her attention. Watching Nija’s face, her stern expression broke with a smile and began to relax her body. Mara was mesmerized at her mother, her stature, her composer, even the way she breathed was influential. Mara thought that one day, she would be the same.   Nija made her way to her daughter. Standing nearly two feet taller than Mara in her human form, it was a bit intimidating for the young girl. Carrying a long staff with her, a beautiful dark wood was covered in unusual etchings, adorning it from top to bottom. It left a hole with each step the Aylyte took, even Nija’s tall frame even sank into the weak, browning grass. “Hello, Mara.” The queen spoke softly. The teenage girl paused a few feet from her, questions about everything that had happened raced through her head even faster than before.      “What..what do you want me to call you?” Mara managed to gather. “Nija for now. Maybe one day, you could address me as Amma.” Nija’s words were sharp and true.  “What does that mean?”  “Mother.” The queen answered. “I’m sorry I’ve been absent all this time, but I promise it was all for your protection.” Towering over her child, she looked at Mara’s ever-changing expressions.     Without warning, Mara dove hard toward Nija, crashing into her and wrapping her arms around her waist and squeezing, nearly knocking Nija over. Tossing the staff from her grip, the queen closed her arms around her daughter for the first time in almost sixteen years, with tears streaming down her face,   “My child.”  CHAPTER 28 The time they held each other seemed to last forever, never letting go of their tight embrace. Nija kneeled to hold her daughter closer, resting her head on the top of Mara's. Pushing away from each other, Nija took her daughter’s face in her hands, admiring her beauty and how she was growing up to be a strong woman. Mara's face was flushed and swollen, her eyes were dry, but she still felt like she needed to cry.  "I have so many questions." She said, wiping her eyes on her hands. "I don't even know where to start." Laughing through her words.  "Take your time, child. I know this is all so much." Brushing the hair out of Mara's face. Nija's breathing was all over with her excitement she was trying to contain. "How? I mean…how am…why am I here?" Mara's words were jumbled and confused. Walking around in a circle, her hands now placed firmly on her hips. Nija gently took Mara's hand and led her across the yard, strolling into the thick woods that surrounded the house. Mara watched her new mother slowly pace through the woods, admiring the beauty all around her, breathing in the mountain air. "It's been so long since I've been out, it's quite refreshing." Winking at her daughter, still holding her hand firmly. "You are here, Mara, because your father and I love you very much." Never looking at her child, enthralled with the wilderness around them. A few deer gathered a few yards from them, the birds could be heard singing in the distance.  "Our walls held for a long time, but once they began to fall, we needed to get you somewhere safe." Her words pained her to say, and Mara hung on every single one.  "What walls?" Mara only knew bits and pieces of her other home that she gathered from Ferric, Goran, and Azel. "Our kingdom was stunning, Mara. Picture your Ancient Rome in its prime. Our protective walls were never breached before the war, but after countless attacks, they finally began to crumble."  "Rome?" Mara questioned. "Yes. We gave the ancient Romans the ideas for their architecture; all of the Torrid kingdoms influenced humans."  "So, you mean to tell me that Aylytes have interacted with humans forever?" Mara was all out stunned, never expecting to hear anything so insane, but this whole situation was insane. Nija laughed at Mara's innocence. "Thousands of years, but I wouldn't say forever." Her mother answered. "Our dear friend Ferric's Kunai Kingdom is the base for ancient Japanese architecture."   Mara was blown away at what she was hearing; a thousand questions filled her head. Trying to pick just one, she was interrupted when Nija released her hand. "Come." Her mother said softly. They slowly walked deeper into the woods but keeping the house in their line of sight in case anything were to happen. "Why the gateways? Mara asked. Nija hung her head, upset. The thoughts filled her mind of the days long ago. "Humans began to turn on us, child. They would hunt or kill our kind when we passed through a gateway. Even with everything we gave them, taught them, showed them, they still turned on us, greedy creatures really. It was a sad time, but we cut ties with them."  The thought alone made Mara's mind almost explode, learning more of her past and the history of her kind. Her questions kept growing. Mara looked towards her house through the thick of the trees. She could see Dot in the kitchen window, baking up her famous chocolate chip cookies for her. She could tell her mom was frazzled, even from far away. "If you hated humans, why did you bring me here?" "We don't hate humans, Mara. They hated us, even turning stories of us into horror fairy tales, they began to call us demons.” Nija used her hands to make air quotations.  "I hate that word, to be honest with you, Mara. But with the war escalating we needed to get you to a safe place. Watching the general take you home was the hardest day of my life." Nija looked towards the sky, thinking of that moment, stretching her wings out as far as they could reach, deep yawn filled the air. "That felt good." She stated at a laughing Mara.  "How did you and my mo…Dot…come together?"  "I simply asked Mara."  "That's it?" She was again stunned. "I watched Dot for weeks with you, hiding in the trees, scavenging food when I could. I watched her love you, teach you and protect you. Even though you were not hers, she treated you like her own. One day she was strolling you through the yard, you were laughing so loud it pained me that I couldn't be there with you. So, I showed myself to Dot." "What happened?" Mara's face sank. "She showed no fear, even put herself between you and me, and I knew she loved you." Leaning against a tree, Nija remembered that day, holding herself in her arms.  "I began to explain everything to her. Aylytes, the gateway, even parts of the war. She knew more about Aylytes than the general did, and probably still does."  "How?" Mara said, confused. "She knows what I know, and I know what she knows." Nija smiled, gripping her staff tightly in her hand. The pair shared a smile and slowed their pace, enjoying each other's company. The sun shined through the treetops, shadows falling everywhere. Mara walked next to her actual mom, head down, looking at the path they walked. Trying to figure out a way to put her questions into words, it seemed more challenging than she ever imagined. The shine and twinkle of her bracelet caught her eye, almost forgetting about it altogether. Holding out her wrist, Nija gazed at the masterpiece. “Why didn’t you help us when they attacked us the first time?” Mara’s question was valid. Nija looked to the clouds, remembering that day. “When Ferric’s scouts attacked, they fatally hurt Dot. I decided to stay hidden and help her stay alive.” Mara was taken aback by the answer she just received. Her tears welled in her eyes as Nija continued to speak.  “Only when Dot was taken from the hospital, did I start to regain my strength. The medicines in this world weakened me to such a point, I had no choice but to stay hidden.” She brushed some hair out of her daughter’s face. “That’s why you didn’t see me till the other night, child.” Mara fell into her Aylyte mother, locking her hand over her wrist and squeezing with all of her might. Nija felt the love and returned the gesture. The two held each other for some time before Mara spoke again. "What is this?" Mara asked with utter curiosity, wiggling her bracelet. Witnessing Nija take in a long and slow breath, Mara knew she was trying to put her answers into words.  "That, my dear Mara, is what is known as the Naramek. A powerful relic that needs to be kept out of the wrong hands."  "Why do I have it then?" Mara pleaded.  "Because we trust you." The queen smiled.  "We?" "Your father and myself." Mara didn't know what to say or even think, her father, she always knew the general as her father. "My father, that sounds so strange to hear." "His name was Kellam, and he loved you, Mara. He risked his life to get the Naramek for you." "What does it do?" "It amplifies the Gordian Amulets power if you attach the Naramek to any of the amulets, and it can open every gateway to this world."  "There are more gateways?" Mara asked, Nija shaking her head slowly. "Five. Each kingdom has a gateway to this realm. We used the amulets to teach humans our ways." Shaken, Mara had thought about the idea of more gateways, but coming from Nija, it just hit her like a ton of bricks.  "Does Ferric know what this is?" Shaking her wrist in front of her face. "I don't know, the Naramek was always rather a large myth in Torrid, only a select few ever truly knew its existence."  "Why does Ferric want this world, Amma?" Mara had used her first Aylytian word, and it tugged at Nija's heartstrings. Tears welled in her eyes, pulling her daughter in for another hug. Mara returned the gesture and squeezed her tighter than ever. Through her sniffles and tears, Nija did her best to answer her daughter's questions. "Long ago, we entrusted the Naramek with Ferric's king, Treznor. The decision was made to end travel to this realm after the humans had turned on us." "Why were humans so stupid to mess something like this up?" Mara interrupted Nija in anger. Placing a joyful kiss on the top of Mara's head, Nija stayed on topic. "Greed. But that’s another day, my child, we don't have that much time." Mara understood and focused back on Ferric. "King Treznor used the Naramek to travel back and forth, which at that point in our history, had been forbidden. Once the other kingdoms learned of this, we stripped him of the relic."  She looked to the sky, the peacefulness of nature seemed to calm her. "He went insane." Squeezing her eyes closed, gripping her staff in anger.  "What happened?" Mara stepped to her mom and rubbed her arm, not sure of what to do.  "During one of their yearly harvest celebrations, Treznor snapped and attacked a group of Aylytes, killing one of them." A giant huff escaped Nija's lungs, "It was Ferric's mate, pregnant with his child."  Mara looked as if she had seen a ghost. She started to feel bad for Ferric, knowing why he wanted to escape.  "What did Treznor do?"  "Shoved a sword through her stomach, killing them both. Their love was forbidden; all Ferric could do was watch." "Why was their love forbidden?"  "Royal guards are trained to focus on nothing but their king and queen. No other distractions can get in their way."   Breaking through the tree line back into the yard, they watched Dot from the window pulling a tray of cookies out of the oven. The treats could be smelled from the end of the property line.  "Days later, Ferric killed his king in his sleep, stole the Gordian Amulet Treznor still had in his possession, and started a war between kingdoms. It's raged on since shortly before you were born."  A single bench sat in the yard, surrounded by clay pots of roses, the flowers bloomed large petals and filled the yard with their enchanting smell along with the cookies. They sat together, knees touching while holding hands. Nija shoved her staff deep into the ground to make it stick straight up.  "Why did Ferric take so long to cross over?" Nija was taken aback at her daughter’s questions, they were sharp and direct.  "To use a Gordian Amulet, one must learn to control it. It's another mastery craft of a Royal Aylyte, but somehow, Ferric learned our ways and gained control, from what I can see, he's a sloppy beginner."  Mara pursed her lips and stared off into space, her mind was a thick fog of nothingness at the moment. Nija could see Mara slipping away, knowing it was all too much for anyone to process, human or Aylyte.  "Your father got ahold of the Naramek and used it to get you here." "Is he still alive?" The words burst from Mara's lips. "I don't know, Mara. When we crossed over, he made a dash to cause a distraction so I could get away with you. I haven't seen him since." A single tear slid down the queen's face, wiping it away quickly. "I wish you could have seen our world before all of this, and it was wondrous."  "You said there were five amulets, right?" Nija shook her head yes.  "Where are the others?" "The order was that the other kings and queens were to destroy their amulets to keep them out of our enemies' hands. I don't know if it ever came to pass, the violence erupted quickly after that."   Mara thought about the amulet that Ferric had possessed, wondering if Nija had one in her possession, but held back asking not to upset her Amma even more. Knowing each question that she asked was like sticking a dagger into Nija's heart, Mara could feel her mother's pain. Grabbing her by her hand once again, Mara yanked the staff from the dirt and made their way to the patio, trying anything to ease Nija's pain. The closer they got, the stronger the sweet smell that filled the air, the more Mara's mouth watered.  From the kitchen, Dot could see the pair walking closer to the house. It warmed her heart, seeing both Mara and Nija smiling together. Meeting them on the patio with the fresh cookies, Mara raced to her mom and snapped up a handful, offering one to Nija and another to Dot. Both of Mara's mothers happily took the treat, savoring the taste and the moment.  "Have you two caught up?" Dot asked. Nija placed her hand on Mara's shoulder, giving her a little squeeze, "Enough for today. I don't want to give her too much too soon." Giving Dot a warm glance.  "Nija, I don't want to rush anything, but I think we need to cut this short, Rolly will be back soon and I don't know who he will bring." Dot said softly, saddened that they had to hide Nija from the world. She has done nothing but help since she crossed over.  "No, mom. I don't…" Mara had her thoughts cut short. "She's right, Mara. I need to get out of sight, especially after the last few days." Nija stated like a warrior.  "What do you want me to do with this?" Mara asked, holding the staff in her hand, admiring the hand-carved masterpiece. Taking a step to her daughter, Nija took the staff in her hands, looking it over again.  "I want you to keep it. We will have to start training soon." Her face blank, the poor teenage girl, was at a loss for words. "Training?" She gulped. Dot and Nija enjoyed a small chuckle at her expense.  "Yes, child. With Ferric knowing who you are and if he lived, he will try to find a way back, and you need to be ready if that day ever comes."  "He's still alive?" "Possible. Ferric wasn't dead when I threw him into the gateway." Nija answered.  Dot held Mara from the side, knowing she was scared but would try to hide it. Dot released her grip and began to walk to the center of the yard with Nija at her side, and Mara watched from the patio while her two mothers exchanged a few words together. They both gestured for her to meet them where they stood. In the yard, Nija held Mara's face in her hands, placing their foreheads together, the rush of love and warmth filled her.  "I've always been with you, child. Just sometimes, you can't see, but you can always feel." Her words were bittersweet, not knowing when she would see her again. Dot had tears in her eyes watching the events unfold in front of her.  "I love you, Mara. I always have." "I love you too, Amma." Nija sniffled at her daughter's words. "Are you ready?" The queen asked of Dot. "Sure am," She answered with a smile walking out to the middle of the yard. Mara watched in more confusion while Nija followed. The two stood only feet apart, looking deeply into one another's eyes. Just like the day with Ferric and Roman, Nija's eyes began to glow a bright gold color, Dot's eyes seemed to follow suit. Mara watched in horror thinking that she was going to watch the pain Roman went through, but now it would be her mom. Nija's gargantuan wings spread as far as they could, and within a blink of an eye, poof, Nija was gone. A lavender mist was now where Nija stood, swirling around Dot like a tornado.  "Mom?"  Mara felt her stomach drop in fear watching Dot bend over and breathe in the mist. Pulling her head up, the gold in Dot's eyes was gone, smiling at a frightened Mara.  "Are you ok, Mara?" Dot's soft voice asked. "What was that!" She screamed. "Well, honey, that is…" "I know what it is, mom! How did you do it so easily?" Dot stood with a strange look on her face. "What do you mean, sweetheart?" "Roman…Ferric. The night…he was in so much pain. I saw the whole thing, mom." Mara was shaking, wondering why Ferric tortured her best friend. Dot walked back to Mara and looked her in her eyes. Mara noticed a deep blue hue circling her light blue eyes.  "Look at me, Mara." Dot said, wiping her daughter's face. "It's Nija. I'm controlling Dot's body right now. If you see the ring in my eyes, it's me." "So, I guess no ring means my other mom?" She tried to laugh. "You're learning, child." She smiled. "It was so fast, why did Roman suffer so much?" Mara laid her head into Dot's shoulder.   "Well, Ferric is far from a Capere master." Nija's voice burst from Dot's lips. "Roman fought so hard." Mara whimpered, squeezing her mother harder. "For an Aylyte, if the other doesn't agree to Capere, it's nearly impossible to control the host's body. But with Dot, she agreed, as did Peterson with Azel."  Lifting Mara's face in her hand, she placed their foreheads together. "See, child. I'm always here." They held each other on the patio for some time before Mara pulled away.  "If you don't mind, I think I need to go take a nap. I…I'm really tired." Mara released a wide yawn. Her mind was heavy, and her thoughts erratic. "Go ahead, child. You need to rest." The two exchanged another hug, and Mara made her way through the sliding glass door to the kitchen.     "I'll wake you for dinner." Mara gave Dot an unbelieving face. "It's human mom now." Dot laughed. "Human mom? Who the hell gets to say that?" Mara joked, disappearing into the house.  Dot stood in the yard alone, looking over her rose plants and enjoying the fresh air. The Capere wasn't painful, but it always took some getting used to sharing her body and mind with Nija. Mara peeked out of the window of the kitchen and could see her mom talking to herself, but couldn't make out the words. Thinking nothing of it, she grabbed a bottle of water and made her way to her room.    Dot waited till she knew Mara was gone and made her way to the bench surrounded by flower pots, sitting down slowly, trying not to strain her fresh wound. Plunging her hands into one of the pots of soil that held a lovely rose bush, she began to pull something out from under the roots carefully. A small wooden box with no lock wrapped in plastic appeared from the pot. Tearing through the plastic wrap and slowly opening it, a yellow shimmer lit up Dot's face. Inside, the Gordian Amulet of the Laurian Kingdom, Mara's real home, its beauty still took Dot's breath away. Rubbing her fingers across the ancient relic softly, she admired every detail of it. Dot spoke out loud.  "Have you told her yet, Nija?" "No. Let the child rest. She isn't ready to know the truth." Nija's voice answered sternly from Dot's lips.